Permitted Development Rights

Sakina Sheikh: What steps are you taking to ensure Permitted Development Rights do not damage London’s communities? In particular, our high streets.

The Mayor: Please see responses my to Mayor’s Questions2021/1476 and 2021/1477.

Cinema Closures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joanne McCartney: How many cinemas have permanently closed in London as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on London’s cinemas but it is too early to assess the number of permanent closures as most cinemas have only just reopened.
In 2019, I launched the first ever Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Map for London which records the number of cultural venues and facilities and sets out what is needed to protect and grow them. This data enabled my team to respond to the crisis with a targeted £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, which has supported over 301 businesses including London’s treasured independent cinemas. My expanded Culture at Risk Office has supported over 750 businesses since March 2020, including cinemas.
In due course, a data update to the Cultural Infrastructure Map will help us to analyse closures. The impact of the pandemic on the cinema sector is expected to be ongoing for some time.

Pub Closures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joanne McCartney: How many pubs have permanently closed in London as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: Like theatres and nightclubs, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on London’s pubs. It is too early to assess the number of permanent closures as most pubs have only just reopened.
In 2019, I launched the first ever Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Map for London which records the number of cultural venues and facilities and sets out what is needed to protect and grow them. This data enabled my team to respond to the crisis with my £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, which has supported over 301 businesses. My expanded Culture at Risk Office has supported over 750 businesses since March 2020, including pubs.
In due course, a data update to the Cultural Infrastructure Map will help us to analyse closures. We expect the impact on the pub sector to be ongoing for some time.

Nightclub Closures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joanne McCartney: How many Nightclubs have permanently closed in London as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on London’s nightclubs. It is too early to assess the number of permanent closures as most venues have yet to reopen.
In 2019, I launched the first ever Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Map for London which records the number of cultural venues and facilities and sets out what is needed to protect and grow them. This data enabled my team to respond to the crisis with a targeted £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, which has supported over 301 businesses. My expanded Culture at Risk Office has supported over 750 businesses since March 2020, including LGBTQ+ and grassroots music venues. We also successfully lobbied for nightclubs to be included in the government's Cultural Recovery Fund.
In due course, a data update to the Cultural Infrastructure Map will help us to analyse closures. The impact of the pandemic on the nightclub sector is expected to be ongoing for some time.

Utilising Unused Office Space

Hina Bokhari: A recent study in Paris showed that if around 40% of businesses move to two days a week working from home this would see a 30% reduction in the need for office space. Given the expected reduction in demand in London is likely to be similar, how are you looking to re-use and redevelop this space and do you think it could play a role in meeting the demand for more quality, affordable housing, particularly social housing?

The Mayor: London has a reputation as a global innovation hub. The emerging office sectors of tech, science, media, architecture, creative, communications and marketing were the fastest growing before the pandemic and are well-placed to drive the recovery.
While there are emerging trends that could affect the nature of office working – including broader shifts in demand for office space as a result of the pandemic - the extent of this and its impact on the need for office space in London has yet to emerge fully. We also have to recognise there has been an historic under-supply of offices in the Central Activities Zone for example, making it difficult for businesses to access the office space they need. Where office space is proven to be genuinely surplus to requirements, my London Plan policies support re-purposing or redevelopment for other uses including good quality housing, affordable housing and supporting infrastructure. We want to deliver this through a planned approach, ensuring development accords with the requirements of the London Plan and Good Growth objectives; I am concerned, however, that the Government’s new permitted development rights could undermine this, encouraging conversion of viable commercial space while failing to deliver high quality and genuinely affordable housing in the right places.

COVID-19 Recovery, Brent and Harrow Constituency

Krupesh Hirani: Many of my constituents continue to struggle with the effects of Covid-19 on their small businesses, with many facing spiralling debts and bankruptcy. How will you continue to support small and ‘unseen’ business owners throughout 2021 and beyond?

The Mayor: Support available to small business through my London Business Hub includes a property advice service, a panel of Brexit expert advisers, a programme to support business leaders through recovery, a series of peer networks, one-to-one advice and a programme of online events.
The London Business Hub has also established a Covid-19 business support hub as part of its website and is publishing a range of factsheets, checklists and tools as well as providing sign-posting to Government support and sector-specific initiatives. This includes guides to reopening safely and a grant finder tool. All this information is available at www.businesshub.london.
Later this year my London Business Hub will be launching new programmes to support new businesses emerging from the post-pandemic economy, targeted support for sectors more adversely affected by the pandemic and activity to help SMEs access supply chain opportunities within the public and private sectors.

Homebase, Manor Road scheme in North Sheen

Nicholas Rogers: Following your disappointing and regrettable decision to call-in and grant this application, against the wishes of significant numbers of local residents, could you please outline what progress is being made in drafting the Section 106 agreement and how you will mitigate the substantial local concerns regarding this scheme?

The Mayor: On 1 October 2020 I held a virtual hearing, where I heard representations from interested parties and resolved to grant planning permission for this development. The application was subject to a holding direction from the Secretary of State, which prevented me from granting planning permission, delaying progress. This was lifted in January and since then GLA officers have been working with the Council and the applicant to conclude the S106 agreement. This will secure a number of mitigation measures including contributions towards healthcare and transport improvements, as well as 173 much needed genuinely affordable homes.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (1)

Nicholas Rogers: In view of your manifesto pledge to “not shy away from opposing tall buildings that do not enhance London’s skyline or provide little social or economic benefit”, will you take the opportunity to reconsider your decision to call-in this scheme, along with the subsequent increase in density and height, against the wishes of local residents and the local planning committee?

The Mayor: The Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration & Skills called this application in to subject it to further scrutiny and in view of the low affordable housing provision secured by Richmond Council, which GLA officers have been working with the applicant to improve. As I am likely to be the decision-maker in this case I cannot express a view about the merits of the application so as not to prejudice my formal decision. A public representation hearing will be held in due course where the Council and local residents will have an opportunity to make verbal representations.

SMEs and economic recovery after Covid

Onkar Sahota: How will you ensure that SMEs play a key part in our long-term recovery as a city?

The Mayor: Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) represent over 99% of London’s businesses, employ more than 50% of the workforce and bring diversity and vibrancy to our neighbourhoods. Their sustainability and growth are vital to London’s economic and employment recovery.
Representatives from small businesses are playing a key role in informing my Recovery Programme. And London’s SMEs will be the main beneficiaries of the Let’s Do London domestic tourism campaign, which seeks to attract footfall and consumer spending back to central London’s retail, hospitality, leisure and cultural businesses.
In my manifesto I committed to further improving London’s business support offer for SMEs. I will also keep pressing for the reform and devolution of business rates so that we can create a system that is fair to London’s enterprises.

Increasing Minimum Sunlight Hours for London’s Green Spaces

Caroline Pidgeon: A number of groups and organisations in London, including the London Wildlife Trust, the Metropolitan Parks and Gardens Association, London Gardens Trust and more are campaigning for changes to the New London Plan and its Supplementary Planning Guidance to guarantee that London’s parks, playgrounds and wildlife reserves will have at least six hours of direct sunlight, rather than just two. Is this something you will consider implementing given the importance of sunlight, particularly on health and biodiversity?

The Mayor: Alongside the amount of sunlight received, there are many design factors that can contribute to the microclimate of parks, open spaces and individual amenity spaces which may impact people’s experience of using them.
Current practice on open space design reflects BRE standards and this is reflected in the draft Good Quality Homes for All Londoner's London Plan Guidance. My officers will be considering the responses received to the public consultation on this draft guidance, some of which concerned the daylight and sunlight guidance. It is anticipated that the final guidance will be published in Autumn 2021.

Establishment of Fire Safety Victims’ Support Line

Hina Bokhari: Will you consider introducing a support line for the many leaseholders and residents across London caught up in the cladding and fire safety scandal to provide practical support with fire safety issues as well as mental health support?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned about the impact of the building safety crisis on the mental health and wellbeing of leaseholders and residents in London. This is a national crisis and Government must ensure that residents in affected buildings are offered support to cope with the physical and mental health toll of living in potentially dangerous buildings.
LEASE, a national Government-funded organisation, exists to provide advice to leaseholders including on fire safety issues. I have called for the Government to review the role and remit of LEASE for leaseholders in unsafe buildings. Leaseholders must have access to the necessary support and legal advice they need at this distressing time. I would expect the review to draw out the exact form that LEASE should take in order to deliver this with other specialist mental health organisations that LEASE could signpost to.

Pushing for Further Devolution to London

Hina Bokhari: In your manifesto you commit to exploring a draft Devolution Bill for English Metro Mayors with other Metro Mayors across the country if the Government fails to make progress on more devolution. Given that there is cross-party support for further devolution to regions, will you be involving London Assembly Members in the process of drafting such a bill?

The Mayor: Part of the solution to delivering the Government’s levelling up agenda is greater devolution, not only in London, but across the country, and I want to see more control over funding and powers being passed down to England’s local authorities, cities and regions. This would help to drive our national recovery, create jobs and target investment at those who need it most.
Working with the Metro Mayors, I will continue to make the case for more devolution to local leaders, and I would value cross party support from the Assembly in helping to make the case for London.

Roll-out of Mental Health First-Aid Training Across London’s Schools

Hina Bokhari: You have committed to investing in the roll-out of mental-health first-aid training to schools across London. Can you provide more details on how this training will be delivered and whether it will be offered to all staff in schools and whether any students will be offered the training too?

The Mayor: Funded through my Young Londoners Fund, Thrive LDN has been working with Mental Health First Aid England for the last three years to deliver Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) training to schools and youth sector organisations across London.
Through this programme we have collectively doubled the number of YMHFA Instructors in London and enabled more than 2,350 education and youth organisation staff to train as Youth Mental Health First Aiders.
The programme is in the final stages and to help meet the demand for support for young people across the capital, Thrive LDN has increased the number of both 1-day and 2-day training courses through May to July. Staff or volunteers in a London based school or youth organisation can access free online training via the Thrive LDN website during this period.

Rent Relief Fund for Small Businesses

Hina Bokhari: Do you support calls for the Government to set up a rent relief fund to help small businesses clear the debts that have built up during the pandemic? Without such a fund many more London businesses may find themselves unable to open.

The Mayor: I have urged the Government to set up such a scheme. If the ban on business evictions ends as scheduled on 30 June, many businesses could be forced to close. The Government has published a voluntary Code of Conduct, which has helped some landlords and tenants to agree a way to deal with rent arrears during the pandemic. However, too many landlords and tenants have been unable to agree.
It is clear that more action is needed and the Government must work with businesses affected to address the crisis facing the commercial rented sector. The Government has consulted recently with the property industry and tenants on possible ways forward. These include extending the eviction ban and use of binding independent adjudication, both of which the British Retail Consortium and UKHospitality are urging the Government to consider.

Superfast Broadband

Hina Bokhari: With many in London still having no access to superfast broadband and London falling behind many other global cities for internet speeds and digital connectivity, can you provide more detail on how are you working with providers and others to make better use of the Underground network and other public buildings and sites under your control to create a fibre network more quickly?

The Mayor: In 2017 I established the Connected London Programme to increase investment in full fibre connectivity across the city. As part of this, Transport for London is partnering with the telecoms industry, through the Telecommunications Commercialisation Project, to use the Underground network and street furniture to support the roll-out of mobile connectivity on the Underground. In preparation, TfL hasalready laid hundreds of kilometres of fibre through tunnels creating a new fibre spine across London.
To supportthis, I am also supporting coordination of the delivery of £31.4m of grant funding for improving digital connectivity in London including £10m that I have allocated from theGLA’sStrategic Investment Fund, £6m from Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and £15.4m allocated to the boroughs through the Strategic Investment Pot. This funding will be used to upgrade 600 public buildings with full fibre. This has the added benefit of improving coverage in the poorly served areas around them, making them more viable for private sector investment in fibre coverage, more quickly. TheGLA’sConnected London team are working with TfL to deliver funding and working closely with London’s local authorities to identify priority sites.

School Readiness

Emma Best: In the 2019 Early Years Report the Mayor made school readiness a priority. What programmes and funding have been directed to this area?

The Mayor: In my first term, I funded four programmes to improve access and quality of early years provision in London. My three Early Years Hubs, funded £175,000 each, supported 500 early years providers and over 3,000 practitioners. My Early Years Leaders Programme (£250,000) supported over 80 early years practitioners to develop their management, leadership, and business skills. My London Early Years Campaign (£200,000) helped to raise awareness of early education. It funded 11 local projects to run creative activities to engage eligible families and was underpinned by a social media campaign. My Healthy Early Years London (HEYL) programme (£142,000 – 2019/20), launched in October 2018, has supported over 2000 providers to provide a whole settings approach to improving children’s outcomes.

Rent Controls

Marina Ahmad: How would the introduction of rent controls benefit private renters across London?

The Mayor: Private renters in London face unaffordable rents. Over the past decade, rent increases have outpaced earnings[1], with around a quarter of the capital’s private renting households now spending more than half of their income on rent[2]. The impact is felt by many renters, but especially families on low incomes. COVID-19 has acted to further underline the precarious situation faced by London’s renters.
Alongside further investment in the delivery of social housing, and reforms to the welfare system to reflect the high cost of renting in London, rent controls will help to tackle the high cost of private renting that is harming the lives of Londoners.
[1] GLA analysis of ONS Annual Survey of Hors and Earning and ONS Index of Private Rental Housing Prices
[2] GLA analysis of English Housing Survey

24-hour London

Marina Ahmad: As restrictions are lifting, and as the rates of COVID-19 infection hopefully remain low, how will you support London’s night-time economy to recover from the pandemic?

The Mayor: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 1.6 million people regularly worked between 6pm and 6am, with the capital’s economy at night growing faster than in the day. With the right support, London’s night time economy can lead the city’s recovery and I’ve set out several measures to help do this.
I recently launched the Let’s Do London campaign to attract Londoners and domestic visitors back to enjoy the capital safely and support the recovery of central London’s economy. By getting out and supporting London’s nightlife, while following public health advice, we can support central London’s unique eco-system of shops, hospitality and world-leading cultural venues, support vital jobs and boost our economy.
I’ve also published world-leading guidance for councils to develop Night Time Strategies, backed up by the Night Time Data Observatory which provides an essential evidence base for boroughs to develop policies to support jobs and growth for their areas at night.
My £4m High Streets for All Challenge Fund will support high streets and the recovery of central town spaces, including the night time industries.

Supporting London’s Airports

Elly Baker: Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic what action have you taken, and plan to take in the future, to support London’s airports and those who work in them?

The Mayor: I fully recognise how hard hit the airline industry and its partners have been during the last 16 months. The aviation sector is a vital contributor to jobs and the economy. Since the start of the pandemic, my Transport for London and Greater London Authority teams have been liaising with London airports at all levels. I have met the CEO of London Heathrow airport, to discuss how we can support the sector and work towards a green recovery.
My London Recovery Board is looking at how to support the hardest hit sectors like aviation recover from the pandemic. Intervention is required so that the short-term jobs crisis does not become a longer-term structural issue. We are exploring what help the sector needs including reskilling and diversifying airport economies, prioritising sustainability and linking to emerging sectoral clusters.

Cooperatives

Marina Ahmad: How will you support cooperatives in London in your second term?

The Mayor: In my manifesto, I pledged to provide support for democratic business models including cooperatives, mutuals, social enterprises, employee-owned, municipally-owned and community-owned businesses. Some of this work is already underway. I recently launched the Boosting Community Business London programme with Power to Change and Co-operatives UK, offering up to £150K in grants for organisations interested in becoming community businesses. In July my Regeneration Team will be hosting workshops for applicants to the High Streets for All Challenge Fund, which will include workshops on community business models.
I plan on increasing democratic business models within London’s six Creative Enterprise Zones and exploring how cooperatives can actively engage with the GLA’s supply chain and procurement processes. The London Business Hub will be used to increase awareness of cooperatives and promote information on alternative business models. My team and I will also work with Cooperatives UK to develop their Ownership Hub model.

Supporting Londoners through LEASE

Anne Clarke: In response to question 2021/1131 you stated that you have called for the Government to review the role and remit of LEASE in order to support London’s leaseholders. What funding or other support have you offered to LEASE in order to speed up this process and allow London’s leaseholders to access the help they need now?

The Mayor: I am deeply concerned about the impact this building safety crisis is having on leaseholders’ mental health. LEASE is a national Government-funded organisation and I have called on Government to review its role and remit to better cater for all leaseholders needs. I fully support all leaseholders and residents affected by the building safety crisis. I have repeatedly lobbied the Government to ensure residents in unsafe buildings do not have to pay for the cost of making their homes safe, and I have pressed building owners to speed up the replacement of unsafe cladding.

Air quality and construction (1)

Leonie Cooper: When will you be updating the London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance ‘The control of dust and emissions during construction and demolition’ to reflect the changes in policy on PM2.5 since 2014?

The Mayor: The majority of particulate matter generated from construction is from mechanical rather than combustion sources and so is PM10 rather than PM2.5. The principal techniques and assessments needed for effective control of construction dust are well understood and incorporated in the existing guidance.
Notwithstanding this, a review of the Control of Dust and Emissions During Construction and Demolition SPG is scheduled to commence in 2022 to incorporate changes to the Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone indicated in my London Environment Strategy, which includes progressively tightening emissions standards to Stage IV throughout London from 2025; Stage V by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040. Other measures in the guidance will also be reviewed at that time.
In regard to managing sources of PM2.5 air pollution, this will be addressed in my draft Air Quality Neutral London Plan Guidance, which will be out for consultation this summer.

London Plan and Sustainability

Sakina Sheikh: What aspects of your new London Plan will ensure our city improves its sustainability in the coming years?

The Mayor: Sustainable ‘Good Growth’ is the core concept of my London Plan and I have introduced a range of policies to ensure that sustainable principles are embedded in the approach to development in London. The plan establishes policies to secure economically and socially sustainable development as well as policies to promote environmental sustainability. This includes policies to ensure that all major developments are zero-carbon and include circular economy principles, that schemes improve air quality and that developments protect and increase green infrastructure and biodiversity and reflect Healthy Streets principles to support modal shift. My Plan also supports sustainable land use patters the optimise access to sustainable transport infrastructure and local services.

Return to Work

Shaun Bailey: In your manifesto you said you will “use all the levers you have” to ensure the return to work of Londoners. Please can you specify what these levers are and how you intend to use them?

The Mayor: Any return to the office must be guided by Government advice. Current Government advice is to work from home if you are able. A key part of returning to the office is having a safe and reliable transport system which is why as Chair of TfL I am pleased that the Waterloo and City line will re-open on 21 June.
As part of my Let’s Do London campaign, a Workplace Recovery group called “London Let’s Do Business” has been set up, led by business. The work of this group will create an aligned vision and plan for businesses in central London to plan their return by collating the re-opening drivers & barriers and best practice examples for businesses to examine and apply in their workplace.

Recovery Plan for London

Shaun Bailey: In your manifesto you said “working with the London Recovery Board, I will lead on delivering a recovery plan for London”. When will this plan be made public?

The Mayor: In many senses the plans for London’s Recovery have been public from the very beginning. I’m proud that the work of the Recovery Programme including the nine missions has been built on in-depth public engagement. Both through my Talk London platform and through proactive engagement with communities.
This engagement work has resulted in the London Recovery Programme, overseen by the London Recovery Board which I co-chair in partnership with London Councils. The Board has identified a grand challenge to restore confidence in the city, minimise the impact on communities and build back better the city’s economy and society.London’s recovery does not rest on one person or one organisation.
It is a partnership that brings together leaders from across London’s government, business and civil society, as well as the health and education sectors, trade unions and the police, to oversee the long-term recovery effort. I am committed to leading that partnership and rebuilding the capital as a fairer, cleaner and greener city with a better long-term future for Londoner. The Board holds its meetings in public and publishes its papers here. Details of the Recovery Missions are published here.
The Assembly Member may wish to note that the national Government has no comprehensive recovery plan published and certainly does not hold discussions about recovery in public as we do here in London.

London Borough of Culture Job Creation

Shaun Bailey: How many jobs has the London borough of culture protected and created for each year it has been active?

The Mayor: My London Borough of Culture programme has provided extensive opportunities for local residents, artists, freelancers and young people and has activated the creation of local jobs.
In Waltham Forest, over 800 artists and organisations were involved in delivering activities, 100 young people received paid work experience and coaching in the creative sector through the Future Creatives Programme and 10 bursaries were created for young people pursuing a career in the creative industries. In Brent, over 1000 artists were involved in delivering the programme and there were around 450 employment, learning and development opportunities for young people.
Both boroughs had volunteering programmes, reaching over 1,250 volunteers, who gained and developed skills throughout the year.
All budgets, staffing and contractual matters were managed by the Councils directly and they were responsible for the allocation of the budget.

London’s PPE problem (3)

Leonie Cooper: The NHS is installing specialist thermal heating machines2 in order to recycle used PPE and convert it into usable plastic blocks. How many of these machines have been requested for use in London hospitals and to your knowledge how many have been allocated to London hospitals?

The Mayor: Disposal of clinical waste from hospitals, including PPE, is the responsibility of the individual NHS Trusts who have specialist contracts and it is regulated by the Environment Agency and Health and Safety Executive. I am not aware of published data on which hospitals have either requested or installed this new technology.
Face masks are now part of everyday life for many Londoners.However, recognising the problems arising from the mismanagement of disposable PPE, and masks in particular, I convened a roundtable in summer 2020 to discuss how these problems may be tackled.This focussed on how reusable masks can be promoted and disposable mask littering can be discouraged, and proper disposal encouraged.
Please see also my responses to Mayor's Questions2020/3387, 2021/1722 and 2021/1723.

London Boroughs and the Climate Emergency

Leonie Cooper: How are you working with London Boroughs to support the delivery of their climate emergency goals?

The Mayor: I am working with boroughs to achieve London’s goals through the Green New Deal mission, my programmes, funding, tools, training and advice. Along with London Councils, I will continue to lobby Government to ensure London gets the powers and funds needed to deliver more.
I have worked with boroughs to secure an additional £160 million in funding to retrofit homes and public buildings. Through my Retrofit Workplaces, Retrofit Homes and Local Energy Accelerators I am providing technical support to help Boroughs develop projects. My Mayor’s Energy Efficiency Fund also provides finance to support energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the boroughs. In addition, many of my green new deal programmes are directly supporting boroughs including Solar Together London, Future Neighbourhoods 2030 and North London District Energy projects.
Through my London Plan policies, I have also helped realise £90 million of carbon offset funds since 2016 across the boroughs to support their climate emergency programmes.

The Armed Forces Community in London

Shaun Bailey: What are you doing to address the specific health and wellbeing challenges of the Armed Forces community in London health planning, for example by incorporating vulnerabilities such as loneliness and social isolation in the London Health Inequalities Strategy?

The Mayor: Mental health, social isolation and loneliness are key priorities for me, and I am committed to using my role as Mayor to tackle the many health inequalities faced by Londoners, including the Armed Forces.
The GLA is signed up to the Armed Services Covenant. Mental health issues including depression and PTSD are a particular area of concern , and the NHS has developed dedicated mental health services for service personnel. My Forces for London is supporting over 100 veterans to overcome PTSD and other mental health issues and secure sustained employment.
Londoners in general are more likely to feel lonely than people living in the UK as a whole and mainstream provision to address social isolation does not meet the needs of London’s diverse communities well. To help address this, we have recently commissioned research to improve understanding of loneliness and social isolation in London.
These challenges are recognised in my Social Integration and Health Inequalities Strategies, with interventions such as community sport, cultural activity and social prescribing playing a vital role in supporting community connections and wellbeing. Addressing social isolation through social prescribing was also the focus of a small grants programme I ran last year. Looking forwards, the health and wellbeing recovery mission includes my commitment to creating a quarter of a million wellbeing ambassadors across London by 2025, throughout London’s communities, including in the armed forces.

Heat pumps to help London hit Net Zero (2)

Leonie Cooper: In your discussions with social landlords and councils have they provided details of their annual heat pump installation plans, 2021-2030?

The Mayor: Analysis undertaken for the London Environment Strategy estimated that 3.5 million domestic heat pumps would be needed in a net zero emission London in 2050.
As boroughs are developing their climate action plans, we know many of them are mapping out the number of heat pumps that will need to be installed to meet their net zero targets. The update to my net zero carbon modelling, due to commence in the coming weeks, will also support boroughs by providing estimates of the annual heat pump installations required in each borough in order for net zero emissions by 2030 to be met.

Heat pumps to help London hit Net Zero (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many domestic heat pumps willneed to be installed in London to support the achievement of your 2030 Net Zero goal?

The Mayor: Analysis undertaken for the London Environment Strategy estimated that 3.5 million domestic heat pumps would be needed in a net zero emission London.
My officers will shortly begin updating this analysis to reflect my net zero 2030 target as part of their regular review process.
Last summer I published a study, Heat pump retrofit in London, which showed how heat pumps will have a critical role in tackling emissions from London’s buildings and provides an action plan for scaling up energy efficiency and retrofit across the capital. Crucial to this action plan is a strong national buildings and energy strategy, that targets energy efficiency in tandem with heat decarbonisation.

Wellbeing Ambassadors

Emma Best: You have committed to London having a quarter of a million wellbeing ambassadors by 2025. How many will London have by the end of this mayoral term?

The Mayor: The development of a wellbeing ambassador scheme that is both culturally competent and effective for London’s diverse communities is underway as part of London’s Recovery Programme. The role of wellbeing ambassadors will be designed in partnership with local people, building local capacity and developing a scheme that will offer culturally appropriate training, support and coaching. We will learn from and build on similar schemes and networks across London. ​
I am working with partners to ensure that by 2025 London will have a quarter of a million wellbeing ambassadors, supporting Londoners where they live, work and play. By the end of this mayoral term we will be on course to meet this ambition, with wellbeing ambassadors enabled to offer wider support citywide.

Dementia Friendly Charter Timeline

Emma Best: What is the timeline for creating the Dementia friendly charter you committed to in your manifesto?

The Mayor: On Tuesday 18 May, I launched the world’s first Dementia Friendly Venues Charter at the Museum of London.
My Charter will make London’s cultural venues more welcoming and accessible to people living with dementia. Almost 70,000 people aged 65 and over are estimated to be living with dementia in London. I want to make sure all those living with dementia can make the most of the city’s cultural attractions.
Launching during Dementia Action Week, my Charter has been devised in collaboration with Alzheimer’s Society and the Museum of London. So far, 40 major cultural venues, including Battersea Arts Centre, English National Ballet, Sadler’s Wells and Brixton House have already pledged to sign. All venues that pledge to sign the Charter will join a network chaired by the Museum of London to share best practice and learn from each other.

HIV Actions & Targets

Emma Best: What immediate actions and targets will you be making to ensure London takes the necessary steps towards being the first global city to end new HIV transmissions by 2030, with an 80% reduction by 2025?

The Mayor: In my manifesto I pledged to do everything in my power to end new transmissions of HIV in London by 2030 with an 80 per cent reduction by 2025. This will include advocating for making PrEP more accessible and tackling the stigma around HIV which can stop people coming forward to get tested.
During my first term as Mayor I was proud to sign London up to the Fast Track Cities initiative and this will be a key mechanism for reaching zero new transmissions. Priorities will be to continue to work with the most excluded groups; to tackle stigma at both the internal and societal levels as well as in the NHS; and planning for the future of HIV care to meet the needs of people living with HIV alongside other complex health conditions.
I will support the urgent work to find those living with HIV who are undiagnosed and get them onto treatment. It is essential that existing testing guidelines are fully implemented, and that testing takes place in as wide a range of settings as possible including hospitals, GP practices, in the community and online e-services in order to serve different populations who might not access sexual health services.

Reforming private renting (1)

Sem Moema: Your report “Reforming private renting: The Mayor of London’s blueprint” said that the Government’s forthcoming consultation on improving security of tenure for private renters a) should mirror the proposals contained in the Mayor’s London Model of tenure reform and b) must ensure that court reform is central to the proposals. The Government’s consultation closed on 12 October 2019 and they are still analysing the feedback. What discussions, if any, have you had with the Government since the consultation closed and have they indicated when they plan to respond to the consultation?

The Mayor: I was pleased to see many of the key proposals contained in my London Model of tenure reform set out in the recent Queen’s Speech. The Government has committed to publish a White Paper in the autumn on improving security for renters, with legislation to follow in due course.
My team has had numerous meetings with the Government since their consultation closed to discuss these issues. I have regularly called on Secretary of State, Robert Jenrick, to follow through on the Government’s commitment to end no-fault evictions – a reform that has been long-promised. Many private renters will face the very real threat of homelessness once the Government’s pause on evictions is lifted from 1 June and, in this context, it is crucial that Government bring forward measures to protect renters as soon as possible.

SEND Employment

Emma Best: How does the Mayor plan on ensuring employment opportunities for Londoners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities as part of the capital’s COVID recovery?

The Mayor: This year I am introducing a 10% uplift in funding for adult education courses up to Level2, which will boost funding per learner, including for Disabled learners, helping them progress in life and work. I am also supporting the professional development of London’s Further Education Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) workforce to support transition into work for SEND learners.
As part of the London Recovery Programme a ‘No Wrong Door’ approach is being developed with key partners to ensure vulnerable groups such as Disabled Londoners get the right support at the right time.
The London Enterprise Advisor Network (LEAN) now has careers programmes in almost half of London specials schools and Career Hubs working with employers are providing work experience to help young Londoners with SEND transition into work and reach their potential.
Finally, I am working to ensure the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) programmes such as Kickstart, and Restart engage effectively with disabled groups.

Health Inequalities Review

Emma Best: In your manifesto you stated that “if re-elected, I’ll instigate a review of all policies and programmes to ensure we are doing all we can to reduce health inequalities across the work of the whole GLA.” What is the timeline for this review?

The Mayor: This work has already begun. I have long been committed to a “health in all policies” approach, as made clear in my Health Inequalities Strategy, and demonstrated this through successful implementation of the approach in our continuing work to improve air quality, the HFSS advertising ban, establishing a prevention approach to violence reduction, and protecting the health of the homeless through our COVID-19 response.
I remain fully committed to a health in all policies approach throughout my second term, particularly to address the health inequalities further exposed by the pandemic. This is why health and wellbeing is one of the cross-cutting principles of our Recovery programme.
My Health Team are exploring options and opportunities for further developing our health in all policies approach, working across GLA teams, and reflecting on the evidence of how to do this effectively and sustainably.

Local High Streets in Enfield & Haringey

Joanne McCartney: What are your plans to improve local high streets, such as those in Enfield & Haringey, where many traders have suffered devastating losses during the Covid pandemic and where many retail spaces may now be vacant?

The Mayor: Through my Good Growth Fund programme, I have invested £3,822,543 into projects in Haringey; £1,822,500 in Wood Green and £2,000,000 in Bruce Grove. This investment will help to support these local high streets continue to provide essential social and economic infrastructure. The projects aim to drive footfall, provide local employment spaces and improve the public realm around these local high streets. In addition, my investment is supporting Haringey Council to convert a vacant retail unit into a Youth Club, will provide vital youth services in the Town Centre.
In Enfield, through the Good Growth Fund, I have invested £1,100,000 to support the local council to deliver more enterprise space alongside employment and skills provision for the local community in Fore Street.
My officers are continuing to work closely with borough officers and are liaising with them to develop further exemplar projects through the High Streets for All Challenges as part of my and London Councils Recovery Missions.

Euro 2020

Emma Best: How will you be using the GLA’s work with Euro 2020 to boost and advocate healthy lifestyles?

The Mayor: EURO 2020 is an exciting opportunity to promote London’s recovery. I will be running a number of campaigns to promote mental and physical wellbeing. Activities will focus on supporting women and girls in sport and provide a space for friends and families to come together in safe way. The Football Village at Potters Fields Park will feature free activities for all the family, including football drills, yoga classes and community activities.
We will be harnessing the power of the EUROS by running a community engagement project called No Barriers. This project will cover 50 schools across London to deliver workshops and festivals, using inspiring professional footballers as No Barriers Champions. This project allows young Londoners to feel a part of the EUROS even if they cannot attend the games. The outcomes of the project include reducing social isolation, using physical activity to promote positive mental health, and reducing inactivity.

London Pollinator Strategy

Joanne McCartney: The Netherlands has a national Pollinator Strategy and cities such as Amsterdam have been taking action on bee-friendly initiatives such as ‘bee hotels’, planting native flowering plants and stopping the use of chemical weed killers on public lands. Could you develop a similar specific London Pollinator Strategy, alongside your existing work on improving our city’s biodiversity?

The Mayor: The London Environment Strategy and the London Plan include policies and proposals which will help pollinators, including:
Additionally, in my manifesto I have committed that TfL will continue to green bus shelter roofs and grow wildflowers on verges.
Future green new deal funding programmes that support the creation and improvement of green spaces will provide opportunities to benefit wildlife, including pollinators. Collectively these actions form a comprehensive programme of activity to boost nature. Therefore, I do not think it is necessary to develop a stand-alone pollinator plan.

Female un/employment

Joanne McCartney: Women disproportionately work in industries hardest hit by the Covid pandemic such as hospitality and retail; many women have been made redundant or been furloughed. What plans do you have to make sure that women have the support they need to retrain, find good employment and can return to work?

The Mayor: I have enabled adult education providers to use 10% of their funding to provide non‑accredited training. This unlocks up to £23m in the 2021/22 academic year for pre‑employment and job-focused training to support learners in adult education, over 70% of whom are women. I supplemented the £12.9m COVID-19 Skills Recovery Package received from the Government with a further £2m to support unemployed Londoners.
To further enable retraining, I have made Level 3 qualifications lasting for a year or less, free for low-paid and unemployed Londoners. This benefits women, who are overrepresented at low pay levels. Women are a priority group for my £32m Good Work for All fund and my Sector Skills Academies, which will support Londoners to gain skills for jobs in sectors key to London’s recovery.
I have established a pan-London Skills and Employment Support Working Group, with funding to boost partnership working, coordinate employment support across the capital to make it easier for women to find and secure employment.

London’s Higher Education Funding

Joanne McCartney: What representations have you made to Government regarding their plans to remove a reported £64m of the state teaching grant for London’s Universities? Is this not an example of the Government’s agenda to ‘level down’ London?

The Mayor: I have written to the Secretary of State for Education, calling on him to urgently reconsider the decision to remove the London Weighting element of the teaching grant for London’s Higher Education (HE) Institutions. In my letter, I made clear that levelling up is a critical challenge within London as well as across England and removal of this funding represents levelling down for London’s HE providers and learners. I have been in close contact with the sector on this issue, including London Higher, and fully support their campaign to save the London Weighting.

Affordable housing (1)

Tony Devenish: How many GLA-funded affordable homes will you be starting in the current financial year?

The Mayor: Following a good performance for the year to March 2021 in the face of challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, my housing team is reviewing projects with partners in order to confirm remaining profiles of homes to be built through the affordable homes programme from the current financial year onwards. It is expected that this will be concluded by the end of June 2021, at which point starts expected to the end of March 2022 will be confirmed.

Recycling

Emma Best: Can the Mayor set out his plans to increase recycling in London?

The Mayor: I want London to be a zero-waste city.
My London Environment Strategy outlines minimum standards that boroughs need to meet, so that the six main dry recycling materials plus food waste can be recycled wherever you live in London. Responsibility for delivering waste management services lies with boroughs, and all have produced a Reduction and Recycling Plan outlining how they will meet and exceed these minimum standards, contributing to my London-wide targets.
Through ReLondon (formerly the London Waste and Recycling Board, a statutory body in partnership with London’s boroughs) I am supporting boroughs to reduce the waste London produces and recycle more. ReLondon provide valuable guidance and toolkits for boroughs to improve services, including the Flats Recycling Package, and Cost of Contamination toolkit, and run campaigns and programmes supporting behavioural change and waste reduction.

ULEZ

Emma Best: Will the Mayor rethink his plans for the extension of the ULEZ given the reduction in votes he received in outer London?

The Mayor: No. In January I published research showing the equivalent of 4,000 Londoners died due to the impacts of toxic air in 2019, with highest number of deaths attributed to toxic air were recorded in outer London boroughs. While this is many fewer than when I first took office in 2016, it is still too many.
We know from experience that the ULEZ approach works: in 2019, before the pandemic, Nitrogen Dioxide pollution had been reduced by nearly half within the zone. We know the scale of the problem, we know what solutions work; there is simply no excuse for choosing not to act to act.
I have pledged to be the greenest Mayor London’s ever had, acting on the mandate Londoners have given me to put the environment and climate policies at the heart of my second term in office, delivering cleaner air for all Londoners is a key part of this pledge.

Fast track housing approval (1)

Emma Best: Further to MQ 2021/0665, how many schemes on private land have received public funding in order to meet the 35% affordable housing threshold for fast track approval? Please provide a breakdown by scheme and number of homes approved.

The Mayor: Schemes are expected to maximise the delivery of affordable housing, including through grant and public subsidy where available. Developments on private land must commit unconditionally to providing 35% affordable housing in order to follow the Fast Track Route. If a planning application is dependent on the receipt of public funding in order to deliver 35% affordable housing, it would not qualify for the Fast Track Route, and would need to follow the Viability Tested Route.

London Power

Emma Best: Will the Mayor apologise to Londoners for his energy company's near £1 million loss last year?

The Mayor: London Power launched in January 2020 and is already serving over 5,500 customers. The loss you refer to relates to the 2019/20 financial year accounts, which cover our set-up and launch costs and only a couple of months of trading. All start-ups face one-off costs related to set-up and launch, which take time to pay back. The cost-effectiveness of London Power is growing over time as we acquire more and more customers.
Already, in just over one year of operation, by the end of March 2021, London Power had saved Londoners around £700,000 on their bills. Our rate rollover promise, whereby we roll customers onto the cheapest comparable tariff when their contract ends, means both new and existing customers will continue saving year-on-year.

Tall buildings

Emma Best: The Planning and Regeneration Committee’s letter to you of 16 March 2021 outlined significant concerns about the environmental, social and financial costs of tall buildings, especially for residential use. It recommended that you develop separate Supplementary Planning Guidance on residential tall buildings, taking into account various important matters. Do you intend to take forward this recommendation, and if so on what timescale?

The Mayor: I would like to thank the Committee for their letter and will be responding shortly.
There is already considerable guidance/forthcoming guidance on the noted topics of concern in both London Plan policy and London Plan Guidance, which are applicable to a range of building typologies, including tall buildings.
However, my officers continue to monitor other work being produced around this issue and should any salient points be identified that are not already covered we will update the guidance as appropriate. I would also be interested to hear from the Committee about any specific aspects they have identified as missing from the existing and forthcoming suite of London Plan Guidance.

Fast track housing approval (2)

Emma Best: Further to MQ 2021/0666, how many schemes on public land have received public funding in order to meet the 50% affordable housing threshold for fast track approval, or the appropriate threshold on mixed public/private land schemes? Please provide a breakdown by scheme and number of homes approved.

The Mayor: Schemes are expected to maximise the delivery of affordable housing, including through grant and public subsidy where available. Developments on public land must commit unconditionally to providing 50% affordable housing in order to follow the Fast Track Route. If a planning application is dependent on the receipt of public funding in order to deliver 50% affordable housing, or the appropriate threshold on mixed public/ private sites, it would not qualify for the Fast Track Route and would need to follow the Viability Tested Route.

Culture at Risk Office

Joanne McCartney: How many organisations and individuals has your Culture at Risk Office helped since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on London’s cultural and community organisations and the creative workforce.
My expanded Culture at Risk Office has supported over 750 businesses and individuals since March 2020.
In April 2020, I launched a targeted £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, which has supported over 301 businesses.
In November 2020, my Culture at Risk Office delivered £750,000 Community Spaces at Risk Fund in partnership with Locality. This fund is safeguarding spaces by at least 90 community-led organisations supporting Londoners who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 crisis.

The Mall, Walthamstow (1)

Emma Best: Do you consider The Mall housing scheme in Walthamstow to be genuinely affordable?

The Mayor: The redevelopment of the Mall Shopping Centre will provide some significant improvements to Walthamstow town centre including new retail and leisure facilities, the delivery of new homes, a re-landscaped town square and public transport enhancements including safeguarding a new entrance to Walthamstow Central Underground Station.
The application was submitted with an affordable housing level of 15%. Following my Stage 1 report, this was increased to an equivalent of 31% affordable housing by habitable room, comprising 18% on-site and a financial contribution of £7.3m.
The majority of homes will be provided as Build to Rent and the on-site affordable housing will be provided at a range of discounts to market rents and for households with a range of incomes below the maximum £60,000 level set out in the London Plan Annual Monitoring Report. These will be more affordable than the homes permitted in the existing consent for the site which were to be provided as shared ownership (linked to a household income level of up to £90,000). The £7.3m contribution will be used by Waltham Forest Council to provide affordable housing in the borough which could include social or London Affordable Rent. Review mechanisms have also been secured which will increase the affordability of the scheme further if viability improves over the lifetime of the development.

Culture Spending

Shaun Bailey: Please give a breakdown of your culture budget spend for each year of your first term as Mayor?

The Mayor: The breakdown of my culture budget spend for my first term as Mayor from 2016 to 2020 is outlined in MQ2020/1807. The culture budget spend for 2020-21 spend was £19.1m.

London & Partners Staffing Numbers

Neil Garratt: How many staff has London & Partners had for each year of your first term as Mayor?

The Mayor: Numbers of staff for London & Partners from 2016/17 to 2020/21 are detailed below:
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
Number of staff
178
200
204
209
191

Rent control (1)

Tony Devenish: What form of rent control do you intend to pursue?

The Mayor: Rent control has a key role to play in improving the affordability of housing in the capital, as part of a package that includes increasing the supply of council and social housing and reforming welfare benefits. As an emergency response to rent pressures facing Londoners as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, I have asked the Government for the powers to implement a two-year freeze of private rents in London. This is an interim step towards improving affordability, and I continue to call on the Government for powers to reduce rents. It would be the role of my proposed London Private Rent Commission to design and implement the right system of rent control for London, alongside measures to support and increase investment in the private rented sector in our city.

short-term lettings

Sem Moema: In April 2019 you called on Government to introduce a mandatory registration system for short-term lettings in London and in February 2020 the Government confirmed it did not have any plans to regulate the short-let market. Can you provided details of any discussions the GLA has had with the Government on this issue and what you can do if the Government refuses to legislate on this matter?

The Mayor: While I recognise the role short-term lettings play in providing accommodation for visitors to our city and enabling Londoners to meet new people and supplement their income, we must also ensure that they do not negatively impact on London’s long-term rented housing market.
A registration scheme for short-term lets would help local authorities to enforce existing regulations and manage the impacts on housing in their areas. As I set out in my manifesto, I will continue to make the case for introducing a registration scheme in London to help manage the growth in short-term lets. In the meantime, I will continue to engage with short-term letting landlords and platform providers to encourage responsible behaviour.

London & Partners Self-Funding Target

Neil Garratt: What is the target date for London & Partners being fully self-funded without any GLA funding?

The Mayor: London & Partners (L&P) was set up as a not-for-profit company to address the market failure of the overall promotion of London internationally as the best place to invest, visit and grow.
Like other global destination agencies, it has a public/private operating model. Thismeans that L&P will continue to receive grant funding from the GLA whilst also securing private sector funding from commercial activities to re-invest into the promotion of London as well as supporting London’s economic recovery during and after the pandemic.

Disbursement of the ACM fund (2)

Anne Clarke: What lessons have been learnt from the disbursement of the ACM fund and how are these being applied to the disbursement of the Building Safety Fund?

The Mayor: Officers working on different programmes within the Building Safety team are given the opportunity to share learning and expertise on how to work effectively with applicants, how to review applications quickly and how the contracting process can be expedited following a funding decision.
I wrote to the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee in May 2020 setting out reflections on the Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and how these should be addressed in the Building Safety Fund (BSF). Many of these suggestions have been incorporated into the programme design of BSF, for example through fewer (yet larger) drawdowns of grant. My letter can be viewed at the link below:
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/response_to_the_housing_communities_and_local_government_committee_call_for_evidence_on_cladding_progress_on_remediation.pdf

Knife Crime, Brent and Harrow Constituency

Krupesh Hirani: Brent and Harrow continue to experience the devastating impact of knife crime within their communities. My thoughts are very much with the families and friends of those attacked or affected by such tragedy. Can you please update me on what conversations you have had with the Government since January 2021 on the prevention of knife crime in London and how will you tackle the increasing and persistent concern of knife crime in your new term as The Mayor of London.

The Mayor: Keeping Londoners safe remains my top priority and my Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) continues to lead on the work of reducing knife crime in the capital.
The VRU have successfully lobbied the Government for more reviews of homicides, whereby London is now a pilot site to take this forward, and for a Serious Violence Duty, which is part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. The network of 18 UK VRU’s also continue to lobby collectively for a multi-year funding settlement instead of annual funding from the Home Office, as a long term approach to violence reduction is required.
Brent and Harrow receive a share of the VRU £4.4m of annual borough funding for violence reduction which supports a wide range of preventative and diversionary work. They also receive MOPAC London Crime Prevention Funding, some of which is also used for violence reduction.
Brent was recently awarded up to £750,000 funding from the VRU as part of their MyEnds programme which takes a neighbourhood level approach to tackling and reducing violence.

GLA London & Partners Funding

Neil Garratt: What percentage of London & Partners income has been from GLA funding for each year since 2016? Please also specify how much funding the GLA gave.

The Mayor: The annual payments that GLA has made to L&P since 2016 are listed below:
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
Grant
11,919,167
11,913,946
13,693,054
13,756,000
13,416,000
GLA grant as % of total funding
60%
53%
62%
60%
72%

Affordable housing (5)

Tony Devenish: How many homes from the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme will be started in the current financial year?

The Mayor: My housing team is in the process of assessing bids for the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26 and further information regarding expected delivery in the current year will be noted when partners are in contract for the programme. Contracting is expected to commence in the autumn of this year. At this stage few starts on site from the AHP 21-26 are expected in 2021-22 as it is expected that partners will use the existing AHP 2016-23 to secure funding for these projects.

Theatre Closures During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Joanne McCartney: How many theatres have permanently closed in London as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic?

The Mayor: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on London’s theatres. It is too early to assess the number of permanent closures as most theatres have yet to reopen.
In 2019, I launched the first ever Cultural Infrastructure Plan and Map for London which records the number of cultural venues and facilities and sets out what is needed to protect and grow them. This data enabled my team to respond to the crisis with my £2.3m Culture at Risk Business Support Fund, which has supported over 301 businesses.
My expanded Culture at Risk Office has supported over 750 businesses since March 2020, including theatres. We’ve worked with our partners at the Theatres Trust to safeguard London’s theatres throughout the crisis.
In due course, a data update to the Cultural Infrastructure Map will help us analyse closures. The impact of the pandemic on the theatre sector is expected to be ongoing for some time.

Protecting London renters who have fallen into arrears during the coronavirus crisis

Siân Berry: The ban on evictions that was brought in during the coronavirus crisis is due to end on 31 May, and some charities have predicted that a significant increase in evictions will occur. How will you help Londoners if this happens?

The Mayor: While I recognise that the Government put in some protections for renters during the pandemic, they did not go far enough. As these protections come to an end, many renters are facing mounting arrears and evictions. In addition to engaging with partners to understand the impact of the pandemic, my team continues to talk to government officials about how best to respond to this situation. This should include a financial support package for those who have built up arrears during the pandemic, improved access to welfare benefits and a two-year rent freeze in London. The Government must also now act on its promise to ban Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions, to provide far greater security for renters.

Disproportionate increase in unit numbers compared with affordable housing

Siân Berry: A constituent has pointed out that, in the Mortlake Brewery scheme, a 40 per cent increase in the number of residential units, from 800 to 1250 has resulted in only a 13 per cent increase in affordable housing, reaching just 30 per cent in total. How has this been justified?

The Mayor: As this is a current planning application for which I am likely to be the decision-maker, I cannot comment on the merits of the case or express a view on the justification for the level of affordable housing, which is still being considered by GLA officers. However, I think it is important to clarify the factual position. Whilst the applicant has increased the number of residential units from 800 to 1,250, other changes have been made to the scheme including removal of the nursing home and assisted living housing, as well as a reduction in 186 car parking spaces. As such the increase in the total floorspace of the development is 14%. Furthermore, the affordable housing percentage secured by Richmond Council was a range from 12-17%, with the maximum being dependent on the final Community Infrastructure Levy payment.

London Legacy Development Corporation fixed estate charge at Chobham Manor

Siân Berry: There have been recent reports of residents at the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) Chobham Manor development being required to pay a fixed estate charge of more than £1,000 a year in addition to service charges. Are there plans to make changes to this charge?

The Mayor: The developments at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park are driving regeneration, growth and investment in east London and will deliver 33,000 much-needed new homes in the wider area by 2036 as well as jobs and the East Bank culture and education district.
The Fixed Estate Charge (FEC) is a significant and important revenue stream for the long-term management of the Park enabling LLDCand any successor body to meet its obligations to maintain the Park to the standards expected by local residents and businesses.
The FEC applies to all types of occupier on the Park estate from residents to businesses and the rate charged depends on the type of tenant. It was introduced by the previous Mayor in 2016 and is subject to inflation in line with maintaining the Park to the required standard.
I understand the concerns raised by residents, particularly about the RPI increases in the charge, and these will be looked into.

Health In All Policies Approach

Andrew Boff: Will you continue to commit to a “health in all policies approach” throughout your second term as Mayor?

The Mayor: I have long been committed to a health in all policies approach. This is demonstrated by the successful implementation of this approach, which includes our continuing work to improve air quality, the high fat, salt, sugar advertising ban, establishing a prevention approach to violence reduction, and protecting the health of the homeless through our COVID-19 response.
I remain fully committed to a health in all policies approach throughout my second term, particularly to address the health inequalities further exposed by the pandemic. This is why health and wellbeing is one of the cross-cutting principles of our Recovery Programme.

Childhood Obesity Decrease

Andrew Boff: How much have you decreased childhood obesity levels since 2016? Please give a breakdown by age group.

The Mayor: Children’sheight and weight is measuredinreception (aged 4-5 years) and Year 6 (aged 10-11 years)as part of the National Child Measurement Programme.Prevalenceof children with a Body Mass Index classified as obese(including severely obese) is given as a proportion of all children measured. In Londonthe recent trend for bothage groupsindicates no significant change in indicators.
Prevalence of child obesity in receptionhas reduced from 10.3 per cent in 2015/16and 10.1 per centin 2016/17to 10.0 per cent in2019/20*. Year 6prevalencehas varied from 23.2 per cent in 2015/16 and 23.6 per cent in 2016/17 to 23.7 per cent in 2019/20*.
*2019/20 collection stopped in March 2020 due to COVID-19school closures.Thenumber of children measured was around 75 per cent of previous years. However,analysis by NHS Digital indicates that figures are directly comparable to previous years.

Waking Watch Relief Fund and London (4)

Anne Clarke: What support is the GLA able to offer the London buildings that were unsuccessful in their application to the Waking Watch Relief Fund?

The Mayor: I have campaigned for Government funding to cover all interim fire safety measures, including the full costs of waking watch. This should apply to all unsafe buildings regardless of height or type of safety defect. I have been clear that the costs of making buildings safe or keeping them safe in the interim should not fall on individual leaseholders. I will continue to lobby Government to protect leaseholders from the high costs of making buildings safe across the capital.

Waking Watch Relief Fund and London (3)

Anne Clarke: How much funding in total has been allocated to buildings in London from the Waking Watch relief fund?

The Mayor: In December 2020, the Government announced £30 million to pay for the installation of common fire alarm systems in high-rise buildings with unsafe cladding, removing or reducing the need for waking watch. £16.1 million of the £30 million Waking Watch Relief Fund (WWRF) was allocated to London.
Applications are currently being assessed and clarifications and corrections sought from applicants. No funding approvals for specific buildings have yet been made.

Zero Suicide City

Andrew Boff: What is the target date for London becoming a zero suicide city?

The Mayor: The aim of a zero suicide city is a shared aspiration that is based on the belief that suicide is not inevitable. Since their launch in 2017, I have supported Thrive LDN’s ambition to meet this aspiration, through collaborative work with key partners like TfL, Network Rail and the Metropolitan Police.
Through their Suicide Prevention Group, Thrive LDN continue to lead an innovative approach, including using data and intelligence about suicides across London to inform prevention approaches.
London’s Suicide Prevention Programme is designed to support action in communities to reduce suicide. I am proud that more than 225,500 Londoners have now joined me in undertaking Zero Suicide Alliance’s online suicide prevention training, helping to play their part in saving lives and to let those who may be struggling know they are not alone.
Only by working together will we move closer to achieving our ultimate ambition of becoming a zero-suicide city.

Suicides in London

Andrew Boff: How many suicides were there in London for each year since 2016?

The Mayor: The Office for National Statistics publish regional data on suicides annually. The latest data release covers deaths up to the end of 2019, indicating that 616 suicides took place in London in 2019, 661 in 2018, 568 in 2017 and 580 in 2016.

Levelling Up

Marina Ahmad: The Government’s Levelling Up fund seems to be unfairly distributed across the UK, with affluent boroughs receiving funding, whilst deprived boroughs like Lambeth and Southwark were not included in the first priority funding. Do you think London’s boroughs need more help from the Government to level up?

The Mayor: I want to work with the Government to help deliver the levelling up agenda and help drive our national recovery. The reality is that London succeeds when the rest of the UK succeeds – and vice-versa. Levelling-up should not be about pitting regions against each other, and there is as great a need to level up within regions as there is between regions.
Like many places around the country, London has significant pockets of deprivation and inequality, and I will continue to make the case that the Government needs to invest in London, which in turn helps to support investment in towns, cities and regions across the UK.

Article 4 Directions (1)

Sakina Sheikh: How many Article 4 Directions are currently in place across London?

The Mayor: According to our records there are more than 50 Article 4 Directions related to commercial to residential use currently in place across London. Local authorities have also issued Article 4 Directions for other types of development including for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), basements and in conservation areas, for example. The GLA does not hold a comprehensive record of these types of Article 4 Directions.

Trans Access to Healthcare Targets

Andrew Boff: What targets do you have to improve Trans access to healthcare in London?

The Mayor: I strongly support the trans community to live their lives authentically and with respect. It is crucially important that they have fair access to healthcare that meet their needs. I recognise the difficulties that many trans people have experienced in obtaining such access, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. While championing the NHS, I will continue challenging it to deliver for all Londoners.
I have no responsibility for the deliveryofhealth and care services. My role is one of advocacy. However, Iregularly meet withthe leadership ofthe NHS in London andwill raise the issue of trans access to healthcare and the provision of appropriate services at a future meeting with the regional director of NHS London.

Mayor’s Land Fund

Sem Moema: Can you update me on the Potential expansion of the Mayor’s Land Fund that was outlined at the December 2020 Homes for Londoners Board meeting?

The Mayor: GLA officers are developing ideas centred around establishing several investment vehicles which align with strategic GLA prioritiesinto which the Mayor’s Land Fund could act as seed capital.
Informal conversations are being carried out with fund managers and consultants to pitch ideas, define the structure of the fund (or funds), and refine the proposals before any fund(s) are established.

Trans Access to Healthcare Actions

Andrew Boff: What actions have you taken since 2016 to improve Trans access to health care in London?

The Mayor: I strongly support the trans community to live their lives authentically and with respect. It is crucially important that they should have access to the specific types of healthcare that meet their needs. I recognise the difficulties that many trans people have experienced in obtaining such access, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. While championing the NHS, I will continue challenging it to deliver for all Londoners.
I have no responsibility for the deliveryofhealth and care services. My role is one of advocacy. However, Iregularly meet withthe leadership ofthe NHS in London andwill raise the issue of trans access to healthcare and the provision of appropriate services at a future meeting with the regional director of NHS London.

Traffic and PM2.5 (3)

Leonie Cooper: What actions will you be taking during this term to stay on track and make sure London meets these standards?

The Mayor: During this term I will continue to deliver the bold plans laid out in my Transport and Environment Strategies, London Plan and my 1.5C degree climate action plan. This includes expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone to the North and South circular roads, retrofitting thousands more homes and planting more trees.
I will also work with TfL and the boroughs to make sure we avoid a damaging car-led recovery. Instead I will ensure a green recovery, investing over £50m over next two years in London’s Green New Deal Mission, which aims to create tens of thousands of jobs through doubling the size of London’s green economy sector by 2030. I’ll also push to go further in areas including bus electrification where I’ll ask TfL to review their current plans for a zero-emission bus fleet by 2037, making the case for Government funding to enable this to be brought forward to 2030.

High Streets Research

Neil Garratt: What data-driven research have you undertaken to identify how to best support the future of London’s high streets?

The Mayor: My High Streets and Town Centres - ‘Adaptive Strategies’ guidance, published in January 2020, has been developed using all the necessary evidence to support the future of London’s high streets. It advocates a ‘mission-orientated’ approach to the challenges high streets face and the related development of local partnerships and 'adaptive strategies’ for high street renewal. Following the pandemic, my Regeneration and Economic Development Unit has proactively reassessed findings within the new and emerging context for London and confirmed that the principles and practices are supporting the recovery objectives.
My Regeneration and Economic Development Unit will convene the High Streets Network in June to launch my new High Street Data Service and Data Partnership. This will be an integrated platform that will gather evidence and share data and analysis to support the recovery and transformation of high streets and town centres across London.
My City Intelligence Unit has been developing the Busyness Project which brings together three new datasets to help understand high streets activity in terms of movement, clustering, and consumer spending. This will form the basis of the spatial element of my high streets data service.
My Planning team is also improving the Town Centre Health Check with an interactive, digitised hub which will displays data for individual town centres and high streets.

Business Improvement Districts and zero-emission zones (2)

Leonie Cooper: How will you support Business Improvement Districts to set up local zero-emission zones?

The Mayor: In my manifesto I made a commitment to work with local authorities, Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and communities that wish to go further and introduce Zero Emission Zones (ZEZ).
TfL guidance for local ZEZs has been available since 2019 and it is currently being refined in consultation with boroughs. This will be available for BIDs and will be published this summer. It will include learnings from pioneering boroughs who have already implemented a ZEZ.
Furthermore, in March I launched the Future Neighbourhoods 2030 fund to support two to four transformative neighbourhoods. This will include ZEZs as one of the fives themes. BIDs and local authorities were invited to apply.

London Business Hub Target

Neil Garratt: What targets have you set for your London Business Hub over the next three years and how many businesses do you aim for it to support?

The Mayor: The 2021-22 target formedium intensity (up to 3 hours) andhigh intensity business support(6 hours plus)is1,000 businesses.
Targets have not been set for future years, on the basis that future grant funding for the London Business Hub has not been confirmed by the Government. In particular, the Business Hub is currently part-funded by London’s share of theEuropean Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme. But Government has yet to indicate how theUKSharedProsperity Fund that is intended to replace EU programmes - and which was first announced in 2017 - will be allocatedor managed.

Business Improvement Districts and zero-emission zones (1)

Leonie Cooper: Which local authorities or business improvement districts have expressed an interest or intend to introduce local zero-emission zones?

The Mayor: In my Transport and Environment strategies I commit to working with boroughs to create town centre Zero Emission Zones (ZEZ) from 2020 and a central London ZEZ from 2025.
In spring 2020, Beech Street in the City of London became London’s first zero emission street. City is developing plans for a larger ZEZ, in partnership with TfL. These schemes build on the early success of Hackney’s Ultra Low Emission Streets scheme in Shoreditch. Kingston has committed to assess the feasibility of Kingston's first ZEZ, in their draft air quality action plan. The New West End Company, a business improvement district (BID), has expressed an interest in developing a ZEZ in the West End.
Earlier this year, my officers held a ZEZ workshop with TfL, London Councils and boroughs, which highlighted borough’s desire to implement ZEZs. TfL is subsequently refining guidance for local ZEZs, aimed at supporting boroughs and BIDS.

Air quality and construction (4)

Leonie Cooper: How are you ensuring that air quality is protected and best practice for air quality is followed on construction projects that are funded through the office of the Mayor of London?

The Mayor: All construction projects funded through by the GLA family are expected to meet the standards set out in the London Plan and accompanying guidance as a minimum, Different parts of the GLA family use different approaches appropriate to their function, including engagement with developers, policy and sustainable procurement practices, to ensure that developers and builders working on their behalf implement my polices.

Childhood Obesity Targets

Andrew Boff: What targets have you set to reduce childhood obesity in London over the next three years?

The Mayor: The commitment of my Child Obesity Taskforce is to halve the percentage ofLondon's childrenwho areoverweightat the start of primary school andobeseat the end of primary school by 2030. Child obesity is a complex issue and for rates to reduce across London action is needed across the city. Over the next three years child obesity will be addressed as part of the Healthy Food, Healthy weight recovery mission. Specific targets and metrics will be set following further engagement with key partners to refine the mission.

Waking Watch Relief Fund Application Processing

Caroline Pidgeon: When the GLA receives an application for the Waking Watch Relief Fund how long does it take to process and feed back to the applicant whether or not they have been successful?

The Mayor: The Waking Watch Relief Fund (WWRF) application window opened on the 18 March 2021 and closed on the 30 April 2021. The fund received 110 applications. My Building Safety team has ensured that all applications have had an initial review. Officers continue to carry out assessments of information submitted, going back to applicants where clarifications or amendments are necessary. Submissions that meet the criteria will be sent to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for further assessment and a funding decision.
The length of time it takes to assess an application is variable and is dependent on several factors such as: whether the evidence submitted fulfils the eligibility criteria; how responsive the applicant is; how well the application signposts the relevant information within the evidence provided; and how quickly MHCLG is able to make a funding decision.

Healthy Neighbourhoods & School Superzones

Emma Best: In your manifesto you said you “will roll out my plan that by 2025 every Londoner lives in a healthy food neighbourhood — with an expanded role for School Superzones”. What are your targets for healthy food neighbourhoods and School Superzones during this mayoral term?

The Mayor: Helping Londoners achieve and maintain a healthy weight will require action across the environment in which Londoners live. The aim of healthy food neighbourhoods is to support Londoners’ health, including healthy weight. School Superzones will be an important part of this work, taking a holistic, place-based approach by addressing a number of health issues within a specific area around schools through local partnerships, including creating healthier local food environments, improving air quality and increasing active travel. My aim is for more children and communities to benefit from the development of School Superzones in London’s most deprived areas, and I will be setting targets as the programme is developed in partnership with boroughs.

Hepatitis C Actions & Targets

Emma Best: You committed in your manifesto “to work with the NHS with a target of ending all new Hepatitis C infections in London by 2025”. What actions and targets have you planned for this mayoral term?

The Mayor: In 2020 I launched a routemap to hepatitis c elimination that sets out the five main opportunity areas that will be a focus for progress. This includes work with London laboratories to facilitate one step reflex testing which will improve the patient pathway to treatment; work with GPs to find the undiagnosed; efforts to reduce stigma; and scoping out a plan for needle exchange in London that aims to improve harm reduction and prevent reinfection of hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses.
Many people are still undiagnosed and unaware they are living with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). So, we need to build on the efforts to find and treat all those living with HCV, to prevent new infections and to increase awareness and understanding about the virus.
I will continue to support the work that brings key stakeholders, including the NHS, together to make elimination a reality in London.

Skills gaps

Marina Ahmad: What work are you undertaking to map London’s skills gaps and unemployment following the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: Since the onset of the pandemic, GLA Economics has been publishing a range of outputs to track the evolving impacts of COVID-19 on London’s labour market. These outputs, which include monthly labour market updates and regular briefings on government support schemes, report on a variety of labour market statistics and include sub‑regional breakdowns where possible. The London COVID-19 Resilience Dashboard, published on the London Datastore, also brings together data on unemployment and other labour market indicators.
The Skills for Londoners Board, as London’s Skills Advisory Panel, also publishes an annual Local Skills Report. First published in March 2021, the report provides a timely and useful platform on which to shape our initial thinking on how to best support London’s skills system at this critical time. We expect the next iteration of the report, due in November 2021, to have more comprehensive coverage of the work of the London Recovery in relation to skills and employment.

Renters Support Package

Sem Moema: On 7 January 2021 you called on the Government to put in place a support package to prevent a possible huge increase in evictions and homelessness caused by an increasing build-up of rent arrears. Will you publish the response you received at the time and provide an update on the current state of play regarding your asks of Government?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2021/1860.

Development of GLA Land (2)

Sem Moema: How much of the GLA land that has been developed since May 2016 does the GLA retain the freehold or an interest in?

The Mayor: GLA Land and Property Limited (GLAP) usually holds the freehold of all of its development sites until the development is fully completed and the developer has satisfied all of its obligations under the site development agreement. GLAP’s sites tend to be multi-phased, long-term development projects and as such, sites contracted since May 2016 will be under construction and GLAP continues to hold the freehold of the vast majority of its land.
At completion of a development, GLAP may retain the freehold and grant long lease interests to the developer (Webbs Industrial Estate, St Anns, Gallions Quarter, Greenwich Square) or, the freehold will be transferred to the developer (e.g. Beam Park), or the developer has an option to take the freehold.

Jack Petchey Foundation

Tony Devenish: Would the Mayor join me in congratulating the Jack Petchey Foundation on 21 years of fantastic work benefitting young people in London and Essex?

The Mayor: My team has written to the CEO of the Jack Petchey Foundation to convey my congratulations on the Foundation’s 21-year celebration. Their impact report ’Jack Petchey Foundation - 21 Years of Changing Lives’ highlights the importance of their work, setting out how the Foundation’s programmes increase young people’s self-confidence and self-belief. These outcomes align with those delivered through my Young Londoners Fund, and the work we are shaping as part of London’s Recovery Programme – the youth-focused mission ‘A New Deal for Young People’.
My team will be sharing the Foundation’s ’21 Years of Changing Lives’ impact report through our Young Londoners Participation Network, the Young Londoners Fund Community (an online forum for youth providers), and via our Young Londoners Fund newsletter to grantees.

Waste Management

Leonie Cooper: What improvements will you be lobbying Government for with regards to energy from waste through incineration?

The Mayor: I have been clear that London faces a climate emergency and if my reduction and recycling targets are met, no further Energy from Waste capacity (beyond the existing facilities and the government-approved Edmonton and Beddington Lane facilities) will be needed to manage London’s non-recyclable municipal waste.
I will continue to oppose development of any new incinerators inLondon. I am ready to work with Government to ensure that London’s existing incinerators minimisenegative local impacts, that they only manage truly non-recyclable waste and maximiseelectricity and heat generation, operating with the Best Available Techniques to reduce air pollution emissions.Government should make it compulsory that incinerators only manage truly non-recyclable waste, recover waste heat on-site and ensure any additional waste heat is utilised off-site through a heat network supplying nearby buildings with low carbon heat.
Please also see my response to 2021/1820 on air quality impacts.

Exercise Unified Response

Nicholas Rogers: The last major joint disaster planning training exercise was Exercise Unified Response in March 2016. In the light of numerous incidents and tragedies that have since occurred, from the Grenfell fire to the pandemic, what plans does the Mayor have for new exercises to improve joint working and response from the emergency services and other stakeholders?

The Mayor: There have been manylarge-scalemulti-agency exercises since Exercise Unified Response in 2016.  Exercises such as Gator and Raptor have been led by the Metropolitan Police and have focussed on the response to terrorism, others have focussed on the response to incidents at Major Accident Hazard sites. Although led by a single agency these live exercises have been used by agencies of the London Resilience Partnership to test their own or multi-agency arrangements. In addition to single agency exercises the London Resilience Partnership has hosted table-top exercises and workshops covering themes such ascounter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, mass fatalities, fuel disruption, CBRN,drought, severe weather, excess deaths, water, telecoms and power disruption.
The focus over 2020 and into this year has been the response to Covid-19. Although reduced in number,exercises havecontinuedand the London Resilience Partnership is developing further plans to test and exercise London’s response arrangements.

Good Work Standard Targets

Shaun Bailey: What are your targets for getting employers signed up to the Good Work Standard over this mayoral term? Please give a breakdown of how many businesses you aim to have signed up each year and from which sectors.

The Mayor: I want as many employers as possible to sign-up to the Good Work Standard, as I believe this is the benchmark for employment standards that all employers should aim to achieve. I am delighted that over 90 employers have become accredited since the Standard launched in 2019, covering 210,000 Londoners in diverse sectors.
Over my second-term, I aim to increase the number of accredited employers, the range of sectors covered and number of Londoners who work for a GWS employer. I will also model good work in the creative and on-demand sectors, through new charters of best practice to sit alongside the Standard. I will work with accredited employers, offering resources to support them to continue to improve their working practices and share learnings with their peers in the community and their industries. I will continue to work with the Living Wage Foundation to support employers to sign up to both programmes.

London and the BSF (6)

Anne Clarke: What support is available to buildings in London as part of the process of registering and applying to the Building Safety Fund?

The Mayor: The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is responsible for the registration process and guidance relating to the Building Safety Fund (BSF), details of which can be found at the following link.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings
Following successful registration, buildings are referred to the GLA. My team then works directly with applicants and supports them to submit the information required to obtain funding from MHCLG. When an applicant needs specialist technical, contractual or project management support, the GLA and MHCLG work together to assess these additional requirements and then MHCLG is able to appoint a client-side support partner to provide that specialist advice and guidance.

London and the BSF (7)

Anne Clarke: What does pre-tender support entail?

The Mayor: The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has made available pre-tender support for applicants who require financial support to appoint a professional team of consultants to procure a works contract to deliver the required cladding remediation work. This funding is intended as an early award of grant which will support applicants to prepare a full application for funding.
Applicants are required to sign a Pre-Tender Support Agreement before funding can be paid.

Leaseholders and upfront costs (1)

Anne Clarke: What percentage of costs are buildings being told they will receive upfront from the building safety fund for remediation work?

The Mayor: The Building Safety Fund provides 80 per cent of a project’s approved eligible costs after a Grant Funding Agreement has been entered into and a Works Contract has been signed. The remaining 20 per cent is paid when a project reaches practical completion.
For those projects that require pre-tender support, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) will approve some upfront grant to enable projects to submit a full application for funding. This amount is then deducted from the payment made following the signing of the Grant Funding Agreement and the Works Contract.
Further information on the Building Safety Fund payment profiles is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#fund-application-guidance

Leaseholders and upfront costs (2)

Anne Clarke: Is receiving less than 100 per cent of funding from the Building Safety Fund upfront impacting on costs for leaseholders or is this being absorbed by building managers?

The Mayor: While the design of the Building Safety Fund (BSF) does not offer 100 per cent of funding upfront, applicants that follow the Fund Application Guidance carefully should not need to pass the costs of eligible works on to leaseholders.
The BSF releases 80 per cent of approved funding upon signing a Grant Funding Agreement and entering into a Works Contract, and 20 per cent upon practical completion. The team at the GLA work closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to offer applicants alternatives where this would support project delivery. This includes, for example, providing pre-tender support, and altering payment schedules where, for example, there is a known risk that funding will run out before completion of a project. This further ensures that all efforts are made to ensure leaseholders are not impacted by the costs of remediating unsafe cladding.

London Economic Action Partnership and small business

Marina Ahmad: How does the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP) support small businesses?

The Mayor: LEAP’s primary vehicle to support small business is the London Business Hub. Through the Hub, LEAP supports thousands of entrepreneurs and enterprises to start, sustain and grow their business through its five physical business support hubs across London’s sub-regions, and more recently through an extensive programme of online support.
Through its role overseeing London’s European Structural Funds programme, LEAP has overseen the investment of over £160m to support businesses, encourage innovation and support and deliver regeneration through London’s European Regional Development Fund.
LEAP has also: invested £25m in a co-investment fund to leverage equity funding into early stage growth firms; supported businesses to access the skills they need through LEAP’s employer-led investments in London’s Further Education sector; funded new co-working spaces, shared kitchens artist studios; and helped London’s SMEs to become ‘greener’ through its investments in my Small Business Energy Efficiency Fund and grant funding businesses to introduce Low Emission Neighbourhoods.

London and the BSF (3)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings in London have been successful in receiving funding from the Building Safety Fund for the removal of dangerous cladding?

The Mayor: As of 18 May 2021, the GLA has made payments to 35 projects as part of the Building Safety Fund.
Further information regardingthestatistics published by MHCLGfor BSFare availableonthe dedicated government website:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#building-safety-fund-registration-statistics.

London and the BSF (4)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings in London have been told they will receive pre-tender support?

The Mayor: As at 18 May 2021, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has approved pre-tender support for 71 Building Safety Fund projects in London.

London and the BSF (5)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings have received pre-tender support? What is the total amount of pre-tender support that has been paid out so far?

The Mayor: As at 18 May 2021, the GLA has paid pre-tender support funding, approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG), to 34 applications within the Building Safety Fund (BSF) totalling £20.6m.

Trade unions

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to support trade unions across London?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayors and I will continue to meet regularly with trade unions.
I will also continue to champion the benefits of trade unions to London’s businesses through my Good Work Standard.

London Living Wage Foundation

Marina Ahmad: Why is it important that the London Living Wage is calculated independently by the Living Wage Foundation?

The Mayor: This is important because the London Living Wage is a key measure of the cost of living in the capital. As such, it must be based on economic data, not on political calculation.
To that end, the London Living Wage is calculated annually by the Resolution Foundation, overseen by the Living Wage Commission. It is the only rate which is based on the best available evidence on living costs in London, which ensures employees and their families can meet a decent standard of living.

Childcare

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to work to make childcare affordable and accessible across London in your second term?

The Mayor: London’s early years sector is essential in promoting social cohesion, improving school readiness, and closing the inequality gap. It is vital for both parents and for businesses. This has become even more important as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s why I have committed to providing business support to early years providers across the city, so that they can continue to offer high quality provision to all London children.
I will continue to work with partners from across the region to improve both access and quality of early education and childcare and to monitor the impact of the pandemic on London’s young children, families, and the early years sector as a whole. I have committed funds through the Robust Safety Net Recovery Mission, which is part of the London Recovery Programme, for work to encourage take up of early years entitlements and to help parents understand what benefits they are eligible for.
I will also make the case to Government for adequate funding for affordable, accessible and quality early years' provision.

Gig economy

Marina Ahmad: How will you support workers in the gig economy over your second term in office?

The Mayor: Increasing numbers of Londoners work in the ‘gig’ or ‘on-demand’ economy. Many essential workers who supported us during the pandemic were gig workers; in delivery, transport, construction and many other sectors. I have committed to developing a charter of best practice for on-demand workers over this Mayoral term which will build on the principles of Autumn. Workers can also access resources and support via my Employment Rights Hub.
I am working with Living Wage Foundation to understand the barriers to living wage uptake among on-demand/gig economy employers. My London Resilience Fund gig economy challenge will create a tool for gig workers to understand their take-home pay and allow the Foundation to analyse pay challenges across different types of gig work. I encourage businesses in the on-demand economy in London to commit to offering good work and fair pay.

Advertising Campaigns Funding

Susan Hall: Now you have launched your “Let’s Do London” campaign, will the funding for the “London is Open” and “Because I’m a Londoner” campaigns be impacted? Please give a breakdown of their current and future funding allocations.

The Mayor: There is no funding currently allocated to the “London is Open” or the “Because I’m a Londoner” campaigns.

Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm

Susan Hall: What is the current timeline for the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm’s work over your three year term?

The Mayor: The Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm was set up to achieve greater representation across the public realm. The Commission’s work will focus on increasing the presence and visibility of underrepresented groups, including Black, Asian and minority ethnic and LGTBQ+ people, women, disabled groups, and include consideration of the representation of socio-economic diversity.
14 commissioners have been appointed and have now met on two occasions. They are working to provide an overview of existing representation in the public realm in London and create best practice on commissioning public art. A work plan and programme timeline are being developed with a Partners Board and Borough Working Group, with programmes announced later this year.

London Living Wage and apprenticeships

Marina Ahmad: It is welcome that the GLA pays apprentices the London Living Wage. How will you continue to encourage employers across London to pay apprentices the London Living Wage?

The Mayor: I am proud that the GLA pays apprentices the London Living Wage. I believe that public bodies and London’s anchor institutions have a particular responsibility as major employers in their local communities to lead by example.
Paying the London Living Wage to apprentices is also built into my Good Work Standard. Increasing numbers of employers are recognising the valuable contribution that apprentices can make to their organisations and it is right that they are appropriately paid for their work. I look forward to working with the Living Wage Foundation on their making London a Living Wage City Region campaign during my second term.

National Living Wage

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to campaign for a fairer National Living Wage, not only in terms of ensuring Londoners have enough to live on, but that all Londoners of all ages get paid the same day’s wage for the same day’s work?

The Mayor: The government’s National Living Wage is not sufficient to meet the cost of living in London, especially for younger age groups. As we face the biggest economic challenge in living memory posed by the pandemic, paying a real Living Wage is pivotal to ensuring that London’s economy works for all Londoners.
While I do not have enforcement powers to ensure compliance with the government’s National Living Wage, my Employment Rights Hub provides support and advice to Londoners who are concerned that they may not be receiving it.
I am committed to expanding the number of employers that are doing the right thing by paying the real London Living Wage, the only rate that truly reflects the cost of living in London. Living Wage accreditation is a mandatory requirement of my Good Work Standard, and I will work with the Living Wage Foundation to make London a Living Wage City Region.

Air quality and construction (3)

Leonie Cooper: How many times have air quality standards on building sites delivering on behalf of the Mayor of London been exceeded and fines been issued?

The Mayor: Breaches of planning conditions relating to air pollution on construction sites would be potentially subject to enforcement or stop notices from the local planning authority rather than fines. Records of any planning enforcement notices are held by the Boroughs.
Compliance with conditions creating the Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone are monitored across London by my Mayor’s Air Quality Fund supported project. The enforcement officers do not distinguish between sites being delivered by the GLA or functional bodies and those delivered by the private sector, however in 2020 they audited 823 sites and secured a compliance rate of 88 per cent without the need to resort to formal enforcement, operators are required to either remove the remaining machines or seek one of a limited number of exemptions. This is similar to the compliance rates with the ULEZ.

Air quality and construction (2)

Leonie Cooper: How are you working with local councils to ensure that air quality standards on building sites are met?

The Mayor: My new London Plan contains three critical elements to reduce emissions from construction: policies to reduce emissions from road vehicles associated with construction, to reduce dust and particulate emissions from the demolition and construction process, and to reduce emissions from construction machinery through London’s unique Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone.
While it is up to the boroughs to enforce these policies, in practice TfL provide advice and guidance on Construction Logistics Planning and the GLA provides guidance on best practice to control dust emissions.
I have also funded direct enforcement of the Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone across London through the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund. Borough enforcement of these policies is monitored through the Annual Status Reports they submit to the GLA.

Night Time Enterprise Zones

Neil Garratt: In your manifesto you committed to “expand my Night Time Enterprise Zones programme”. Where and when will this happen and how much funding will be allocated to each zone?

The Mayor: In 2019, my Night Time Enterprise Zone (NTEZ) pilot in Walthamstow saw high street footfall increased by 22 per cent at night, perceptions of safety improved, and the programme helped to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment, encouraging families to extend their stay on the high street.
The success of the pilot provides a case study for boroughs on my High Streets for All Challenge Fund, and I hope to see NTEZ inspired projects emerge as part of this fund.
My Night Czar and 24-Hour London team are also exploring how an NTEZ could work post pandemic and developing proposals for our high streets and night time economy once fully open.

New Areas to Support High Streets

Neil Garratt: How do you plan to “streamline existing funding and grants, identify new areas of support” for high streets, as you committed to do so in your manifesto?

The Mayor: High street recovery and renewal is a key focusof the London Recovery Board. The High Streets for All mission’s focus is to secure thriving, inclusive and resilient high streets and towncentresin every London borough and topromoteexperimentation and innovation to bring new life to vacant andunderutilisedbuildings and public spaces.
Approximately £36 million of my Good Growth Fund has been directed towards high streets and town centres improvements. An additional £8.1m has been allocated through the Good Growth Fund Accelerator projects as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund to regenerate town centres and high streets across London.
In March, I launched the High Streets for All Challenge, inviting local partnerships to respond to the challenges faced by high streets and town centres, by developing innovative strategies and proposals.
I will continue supporting the recovery programme, by encouraging inventive partnerships between the GLA Group, London Councils, private land interests and London’s diverse communities and by working to set out the best case for government funding for London.
My High Streets for All mission will also draw heavily on data to determine investment and policy priorities and to evaluatesuccess;establishing a High Street Data Service and associated Data Partnership as an early deliverable of the High Streets for All Mission.

London’s PPE problem (2)

Leonie Cooper: How are you supporting innovative London groups and businesses to find ways to reduce the amount of single use plastics from PPE going to landfill or for incineration?1

1Sky news, ‘COVID:19 ‘Game changing’ PPE recycling technology turns masks and gowns into school chairs,’ 13 April 2021

The Mayor: My Better Futures programme invests in our CleanTech industry - who produce technologies, goods and services that reduce negative impacts on our environment. Supported SMEs include several focussing on the reduction or recycling of single use plastics.
Through my Green New Deal funding, the ReLondon Business transformation programme and Better Futures+ programme are providing emergency grant funding for London-based, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), maintaining and growing London's diverse ecosystem of low carbon, circular businesses.
Designing London’s Recovery, my new open innovation challenge programme, aims to leverage our city's innovation and creativity to support the recovery from the impacts of Covid.
My Mayor’s Entrepreneur Programme also supports London’s students to come up with viable, sustainable business ideasthat makes London cleaner, greener and ready for the future. My London Business Hub also provides impartial, free advice and support for businesses and access to free business support programmes, webinars and events.
Please see also my responses to Mayor's Questions2020/3387, 2021/1722 and2021/1724.

London’s PPE problem (1)

Leonie Cooper: PPE is necessary to keep us safe during the pandemic, however PPE litter has become a problem. How will you make it easier for Londoners to dispose of PPE well?

The Mayor: London’s boroughs are responsible for the management of litter across the capital. However, recognising the problems arising from the mismanagement of disposable PPE, and masks in particular, I convened a roundtable in September 2020 to discuss how these problems may be tackled. This focussed on how reusable masks can be promoted and disposable mask littering can be discouraged, and proper disposal encouraged.
Following the meeting attended by boroughs, TfL and other London stakeholders, the GLA, through ReLondon (formerly the London Waste and Recycling Board) has developed and delivered consistent messaging through their website and social media channels. This messaging has already reached over 1.6m Londoners. These communications resources are available free of charge for London boroughs.
In addition, I have written to all major supermarkets, emphasizing that face coverings should be reusable, non-medical and at a price which is accessible to all.
Please see also my responses to Mayor's Questions 2020/3387, 2021/1723 and 2021/1724.

Gas-powered heat lamps

Zack Polanski: Social distancing and outdoor dining have rapidly increased the use of gas-powered heat lamps throughout London. Is the GLA taking any actions to measure and mitigate the impact of heat lamps on London’s air quality and environment?

The Mayor: Together with London’s local authorities, we have been working to help businesses get back on their feet. Our Eating and Drinking Outside Guidance sets out how local authorities and business can work together to help hospitality venues trade safely using outside spaces.
Air quality monitoring is the responsibility of the boroughs who own and fund London’s world leading reference monitoring network, and I will continue to support them with the Breathe London low cost sensor network. However, to mitigate the impacts of heat lamps the guidance sets out a heating options hierarchy for businesses considering using outdoor heaters. We recommend the use of electric heaters as the cleanest, safest and most effective way of heating an outdoor area and discourage the use of gas and heaters which produce emissions which can have a significant impact on health.

Street waste being incinerated

Zack Polanski: A constituent in Merton has raised the issue that in their borough the waste from street recycling bins is being sent to Beddington waste facility to be incinerated, along with the waste from ordinary street rubbish bins. What are you doing to ensure that all street waste placed in a recycling bin in London is actually recycled?

The Mayor: London’s boroughs are responsible for the management of street waste and public bins across the capital. Waste authorities need to show how they are acting in general conformity with my London Environment Strategy (LES), including helping move waste up the waste hierarchy to ensure a greater focus on reduction, reuse and recycling, rather than incineration. My officers review all waste authority contracts to assess general conformity, making recommendations to the local authority so that these requirements are met.
In addition, all boroughs have now produced Reduction and Recycling Plans (RRPs), a requirement of the LES, many of which include actions on littering and public bins. A key issue is the heavy contamination of street waste and litter which means it is not accepted for recycling. Merton’s RRP includes a focus on improving the quality of recyclable materials collected on street and I am providing RRP support directly through GLA officers and through ReLondon (formerly the London Waste and Recycling Board).

GLA response to Dasgupta review

Zack Polanski: What actions has the GLA taken in response to the Dasgupta review on biodiversity, which has highlighted the value of natural spaces?

The Mayor: My Natural Capital Account showed the huge economic value of London’s green spaces, estimating that for every £1 invested Londoner’s enjoy at least £27 in value. Investing in improving and expanding the city’s natural spaces, and the skills needed to sustain them, is a core part of my Green New Deal funding programmes which will build on the £14 million I have already invested in greening since 2016.
However, to achieve the scale of investment required a range of new funding sources will also need to be leveraged, including from the private sector. Following the recommendations of my London Green Spaces Commission I am supporting further research to develop and test mechanisms for investment in nature-based solutions.
This work sits alongside policies in my new London Plan to protect and increase green space and to improve biodiversity. These measures are all recommended in the Dasgupta Review Options for Change.

Joint working and procurement opportunities for waste authorities

Zack Polanski: In your Environment Strategy, published in May 2018, you set up a public contract register to monitor when waste authority contracts come up for renewal. Since the register’s introduction a) has it been kept up to date, b) have any waste authorities moved to joint procurement, and c) has any service harmonisation been achieved across borough boundaries?

The Mayor: The waste contracts register of expiry dates is updated annually and published on the London Datastore. In addition to the register of contract expiry dates, I publish a register of contracts that have been assessed by my officers for general conformity with the provisions of the London Environment Strategy. When a borough notifies the Mayor of their intention to procure a contract, the details are added to this waste procurement register.
The South London Waste Partnership (a partnership arrangement between the boroughs of Kingston, Merton, Croydon and Sutton) notified the Mayor of their intention to jointly procure a contract for the disposal of food and green garden waste in 2021. The South London Waste Partnership boroughs moved between 2017 and 2019 to a harmonised waste and recycling collection service of a fortnightly residual waste collection with twin stream recycling including weekly food waste collections.

Greenhouse gas emissions from London’s waste

Zack Polanski: The Government decision to exclude energy from waste plants from the UK’s new emissions trading scheme has been brought to the High Court for a judicial review. When was the most recent annual review of the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance Standard for London’s Local Authority Collected Waste produced?

The Mayor: Reducing the environmental impact of managing London’s waste is important in becoming a zero-carbon city. I do not consider that London needs additional incineration capacity to manage its non-recyclable waste if my waste and recycling targets are met.
The Emission Performance Standard (EPS) assesses the whole waste management system across waste authorities, measuring greenhouse gases (GHG) produced through a life cycle analysis.
The latest EPS review is based on 2018/19 data showing a 6.3% improvement on the previous year, before my Environment Strategy was published. In 2017/18 London’s boroughs supported a negative net value contribution of -0.048 tonnes of CO2e per tonne of waste. This has improved to -0.051 tonnes of CO2e in 2018/19. The report will soon be published.
2019/20 waste data was published by Government in Spring 2021 and a review is currently underway for that year.

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Support

Neil Garratt: How many Small and Medium Sized Enterprises are there in London and how many of them have you directly supported each year since 2016? Please give a breakdown by London Borough, sector and funding given.

The Mayor: London is home to around 1.1m SMEs, representing over 99% of the capital’s businesses and employing more than 50% of the workforce.
Aggregated data across all GLA group activity to support small businesses is not available, but my core business support programme, the London Business Hub, has supported 4,470 businesses and engaged with nearly 7,000 since November 2016.
Last year, in response to Covid-19, my officers secured an additional £1.5m of European Regional Development Fund support to provide grants to businesses of between £1,000 and £5,000. I also launched the “Back to Business” crowd funding campaign that offered up to £5,000 in match funding to small and independent businesses participating in my Pay it Forward London crowdfunding initiative. In addition to this support I have also created the £100m Greater London Investment Fund that has provided £24.2m in loan and equity finance to SMEs; and have previously invested £18.45m through my London Co-Investment Fund.
Please see breakdown attached for further information.

The Mayor: MQ 2021-2000 Small and Medium SUPPORT DOC.xlsx

No safe level for particulate matter

Zack Polanski: The coroner in the inquest into the death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah has noted evidence that shows there is: “no safe level for Particulate Matter and that the WHO guidelines should be seen as minimum requirements.” Will you alter your plans to prioritise reducing Londoners’ particulate exposure to an absolute minimum?

The Mayor: However, the majority of local PM2.5 emissions come from non-transport sources, where I have limited powers. I want to work with Government to secure the devolved funding and powers, including over sources such as construction and wood burning, needed to help further reduce emissions. Additionally, half of all PM2.5 measured in London comes from outside the city so this needs a national approach.
More detail on my plans and the support needed to meet this target is available here: https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/pm25-london-roadmap-meeting-who-guidelines-2030

Digital Inclusion Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets have you set to improve digital inclusion and close the digital divide across London over the next three years?

The Mayor: As part of the London Recovery Programme, the Digital Access for All mission includes ensuring that ‘Every Londoner has access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025.’
The Essential Digital Skills Entitlement (EDSE) has been introduced as a new skills offer for Londoners to ensure that they gain the digital skills they need to access and participate in the digital aspects of life and work.
Bridging the digital divide is a complex challenge, covering connectivity, affordability, basic skills and access to a device. I have allocated £1.5 million over the next two years to work with the London Office of Technology and Innovation (LOTI) on the Digital Inclusion Innovation Programme to improve data on need, innovate in the supply of devices and data packages and scale good practice across London. Our ambition is a new digital access pathwayfor Londoners to access the skills, device or other support they need.

Shared Ownership Charter for Service Charges (4)

Sem Moema: What discussions have you had with London’s private house builders, who are involved in the development of shared ownership, about signing up to the charter? Which of them have signed up so far?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor’s Question 2021/1850.

London & Partners Staffing Costs

Neil Garratt: What were the staffing costs for London & Partners for each year of your first term as Mayor?

The Mayor: Staffing costs for London & Partners from 2016/17 to 2020/21 are detailed below:
2016/17
2017/18
2018/19
2019/20
2020/21
Salary costs
(£m)
9,754
11,460
11,603
13,100
11,627

Council homes (1)

Tony Devenish: How many homes in your 10,000 council homes programme have been started and completed to date? Please provide a breakdown by borough and number of bedrooms.

The Mayor: The table below shows the number of homes that have started and completed contributing towards the GLA’s target to build 10,000 homes through Council providers. As with the overall programme target, this target relates to starts. Information related to the number of bedrooms is not mandatory in GLA systems and therefore the bedroom breakdown only reflects the position where this information is available.
Total:
1,632
488
653
306
30
Location
Affordable Starts that have completed 
Projects started and completed
			from Oct-2018 to Mar-2021
Completed homes
Studio/1 Bed
2 Bed
3 Bed
4 Bed
Barking and Dagenham
87
38
44
5
0
Barnet
53
50
3
0
0
Bexley
12
2
6
4
0
Brent
162
67
95
0
0
Camden
57
8
6
27
16
City of London
10
10
0
0
0
Croydon
35
24
3
8
0
Ealing
52
20
15
15
2
Enfield
72
2
41
27
2
Greenwich
17
2
7
4
0
Hackney
250
74
111
62
3
Hammersmith and Fulham
2
1
1
0
0
Haringey
6
1
3
2
0
Harrow
78
16
48
14
0
Havering
23
1
15
7
0
Hillingdon
45
21
23
1
0
Hounslow
74
14
41
10
4
Islington
7
0
7
0
0
Kensington and Chelsea
120
26
32
2
0
Lewisham
9
3
5
1
0
Newham
46
0
7
13
0
Redbridge
20
0
14
6
0
Richmond upon Thames
1
0
1
0
0
Southwark
40
15
22
0
0
Tower Hamlets
200
39
69
89
3
Waltham Forest
29
10
11
8
0
Wandsworth
25
13
12
0
0
Westminster
100
31
11
1
0

Business Funding

Emma Best: How much funding have you directly put into the hands of businesses since 2016? Please give a breakdown of business size and sector and through what mayoral initiative the funding was given.

The Mayor: This question could be interpreted in different ways, but I highlight below four funds that make direct grant, loan or equity investments to businesses. My London Co-investment Fund has invested £18.45m in 150 digital, science and technology SMEs. My Greater London Investment Fund has invested £24.2m to London businesses in sectors including finance, technological and digital, environmental, cultural and creative and life sciences.
367 Covid-19 Recovery Grants worth a total of £1,463,650 were awarded between October 2020 and March 2021, mostly relating to the creative, hospitality, visitor economy and retail sectors.
My Back to Business Fund granted £900,000 in match funding to 200 businesses participating in my Pay It Forward London crowdfunding initiative, to help them expand their operation online, invest in their future and adapt to safe, socially distant trading.

Social infrastructure

Andrew Boff: How and when do you intend to produce guidance on social infrastructure?

The Mayor: My London Plan 2021 sets out comprehensive and detailed policies to ensure that social infrastructure in its many forms is promoted, provided and protected appropriately, as new development comes forward. The Plan sets out that further guidance will be developed to inform how boroughs should undertake social infrastructure needs assessments. I intend to develop this during financial year 2022/23. As with all LPG, this will be developed through engagement with boroughs, the public and other stakeholders, including through formal consultation on a draft of the guidance. In the interim, I have ‘saved’ the existing Supplementary Planning Guidance on social infrastructure, as this remains relevant and can be drawn on by boroughs in undertaking work to prepare their Local Plans.

Temporary development spaces

Andrew Boff: How and when do you intend to “develop a new framework for the temporary, meanwhile and flexible use of open space, empty premises, temporary development space and underused community buildings”?

The Mayor: The London Plan 2021 already supports flexibility for temporary uses of vacant properties in town centres, high streets, Creative Enterprise Zones and other appropriate areas.
Through the Recovery Board, High Streets for All mission, and Resilience Fund, we are already testing and prototyping ways to deliver enhanced public spaces and exciting new uses for underused high street buildings in every Borough. In Ealing, for example, my Regeneration team are working with innovators to enable the activation of vacant units on high streets and supporting meanwhile use activity. A Recovery Property Pledge is being developed with input from landowners and tenant groups to mainstream effective innovation, across the wider property industry. Officers are coordinating across all these initiatives to establish a framework for integrated implementation.
I remain concerned that the Government’s new Permitted Development Rights could limit opportunities for creative reuse of vacant premises and stifle the economic recovery of London’s high streets.

Adult Literacy Actions

Nicholas Rogers: What actions are you taking to improve the adult literacy rates across London?

The Mayor: Basics skills including adult literacy are essential in enabling people to function in society and progress in learning and employment. In 2019/20 I extended full funding of Adult Education Budget (AEB) courses, including English and ESOL courses, to Londoners earning below the London Living Wage and there were 24,380 learners enrolled in 27,240 AEB English entitlement courses in London.
In 2020/21 I introduced a £2.7m funding uplift through the AEB for all fully funded maths and English qualifications at Levels 1 and 2. From September 2021, I am introducing a ‘London Factor’ increase of 10% to the funding paid for all AEB-fundable qualifications up to and including level 2, which includes the majority of AEB-funded English and ESOL provision. This funding will boost per learner funding and improve quality of provision.
I have commissioned research, reporting later this year, to identify best practice in delivering basic English and maths qualifications to support providers to boost participation, achievement rates and progression.

Community involvement in planning

Andrew Boff: How and when do you intend to “review how to further involve local communities in the planning decisions that affect them, including by making the most of interactive technology”?

The Mayor: Officers will be undertaking a full review of our approach to engagement to ensure that we give full effect to Policy GG1.
We’re already on this journey, commissioning digital engagement platforms for London Plan Guidance and area-based engagement for our work on Opportunity Area Frameworks with an aim to facilitate and broaden community involvement. These can enable people to participate in different ways on-line including using 3D tools, chat and blogs and ‘liking’ ideas and suggestions. These tools not only help in communication but also in the analysis of data and people’s input.
We will continue to extend our use of these platforms and explore other techniques to make planning feel more relevant to Londoners. Engagement is also supported by Talk London, City Hall's online community to stay informed on policy and plan updates, and greater access to live data through the Planning London DataHub that was launched earlier this year. The Planning London DataMap can also be accessed on our website which provides GIS mapping information relevant to planning London.
We’ll undertake bespoke stakeholder mapping exercises for each project to inform our approaches and ensure the channels used are the most beneficial and relevant to under-represented groups we are targeting - and ask people how they want to be engaged. We are also reaching out to other organisations and groups to learn from best practice elsewhere.
We will also continue our work on ‘PlanBase’, a 3D platform that can be used for engagement and consultation with communities on development proposals, Local Plans or strategic level planning to help bring them to life. We are building this platform with our SME partner, 3D Repo. This tool is a direct result of the Mayor’s Civic Innovation Challenge 2019 which looked at ways to democratise planning through technology.

Strategic Housing Market Assessment

Andrew Boff: Do you consider the current 2017 Strategic Housing Market Assessment to be fit for purpose? If not, how and when do you intend to replace it?

The Mayor: The 2017 SHMA forms a key part of the evidence base for the new London Plan that was adopted in early 2021, and it remains the best available guide to London's current and future housing needs.
While there have clearly been changes to London's demographics and housing market during the pandemic period that would need to be taken into account in any new assessment, it is not yet clear whether some of these may turn out to be transitory as the recovery from the pandemic progresses. Some data collection has also been disrupted by the pandemic, leading to increased uncertainty over the size and composition of London's population.
As better data emerges, including the results of the 2021 Census, my officers will consider the need for a new assessment.

UK Shared Prosperity Fund

Marina Ahmad: Have you received any news from the Government relating to how much London will receive in the UK Shared Prosperity Fund?

The Mayor: No. The Government first announced the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) in 2017. It was intended to replace the £1billion+ European Regional Development Fund and European Social Fund programmes currently devolved to City Hall; and which end in 2023-24. Since then, there has been very little progress, despite regular requests to Government from me and London stakeholders that this be progressed.
I have repeatedly called upon the Government to ensure that London receives its fair share of the UKSPF, alongside other new funds to support growth.
The Government has recently announced that the UKSPF will launch in 2022, that further details on UKSPF will be published in a UK-wide Investment Framework later this year; and that expenditure levels will be confirmed at the next Spending Review.

Next round of Green New Deal funding

Leonie Cooper: When will the next round of successful applicants to the Green New Deal Fund be announced?

The Mayor: The first phase of my Green New Deal fund is already investing £10 million in programmes that support around 1,000 green jobs, while tackling the climate emergency and inequalities. The Fund supported a range of projects supporting decarbonisation of the built environment, greening transport and the public realm and support to Clean tech businesses. In addition, the next round of Grow Back Greener grants will be announced this summer, and projects supported by the Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme will be announced in Autumn 2021.
Including the £10 million Green New Deal fund, I have allocated a budget of £54.4m to support the Green New Deal mission. This funding will support a range of programmes, some of which will be open to application throughout the year, following approval via the GLA’s budget and governance processes.

Adult Literacy Targets for London

Nicholas Rogers: What targets have you set to improve adult literacy rates in London through your adult education budget or by other means?

The Mayor: Low levels of literacy and numeracy not only act as a substantial barrier to work and education opportunities; they can harm social integration and cohesion. In my Skills for Londoners Strategy, I committed to drive up participation and progression outcomes in the provision of English and to work with employers, providers and local authorities through AEB delegation, to improve local coordination of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision and identify new and more diverse sources of investment in ESOL.
From the latest AEB data published on the London Datastore (August 2019 to April 2020), we know that there were 24,380 learners enrolled in 27,240 English courses in London (English AEB entitlement learners only). This is the first GLA data publication release capturing a full academic year of delivery, and we will continue to monitor these figures in future years. Please see Mayor’s Question 2021/2029 for details of actions that are being taken to deliver on this commitment.

Brent London Borough of Culture 2020 Projects

Shaun Bailey: Please can you give a breakdown of which projects were given funding as part of Brent’s 2020 London Borough of Culture programme? Please state how much funding each project received.

The Mayor: London Borough of Brent was awarded £1.35m to deliver its London Borough of Culture programme in 2020. The programme was adapted during COVID-19 to unite communities online and through a critically acclaimed public art programme in the libraries, streets and public spaces of the borough. It was successfully delivered in collaboration with over 1,000 artists and creative organisations, along with hundreds of volunteers, young leaders, schools and community organisations.
Brent raised an additional £1.5m. All funds were managed directly by the council and they were responsible for the allocation of the budget, including all projects and grants to local groups. For example, £525,000 in ‘Culture Fund’ grants invested in 77 projects for local people to participate in creative activities. The full breakdown of projects will be available when Brent publishes its evaluation report in the second half of the year.

London Weighting

Marina Ahmad: Do you have a timeline for your work on gathering evidence and issuing guidance on London Weighting?

The Mayor: Over the next year I intend to gather evidence on how London Weighting allowances are currently applied across the city and in different sectors, so that guidance can be formulated to provide greater clarity to employers and Londoners.
In 2016, Trust for London concluded that the London Weighting needs to be about £7,700 per year in Inner London and over £6,200 in Outer London to cover the additional minimum cost of living in the capital. New research in this area is needed to reflect what Londoners need to afford a decent standard of living in 2021, as well as ensuring the capital can continue to attract talent.

Shared Ownership Charter for Service Charges (3)

Sem Moema: What discussions have you had with London’s local authorities about signing up to the charter? Which of them have signed up so far?

The Mayor: To date, 27 organisations have signed up to my Shared Ownership Service Charges Charter (https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/list_of_signatories.pdf). This includes the London Boroughs of Enfield, Hounslow and Wandsworth. To grow this further, all investment partners bidding for funding from my Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 are expected to sign up to the existing Charter if they have not done so already, as set out in the Funding Guidance.
Additionally, the Funding Guidance asks that investment partners commit to working with the GLA to develop a new and improved Charter, which GLA officers have begun working on.

Disbursement of the ACM fund (1)

Anne Clarke: What challenges or failings have been identified from the GLA’s disbursement of the ACM fund?

The Mayor: The challenge of remediating unsafe ACM cladding on London’s buildings is significant and I remain concerned about the slow pace at which building owners are carrying out the works.
The capital has more than twice as many private ACM blocks as the rest of the country combined and its built environment is extremely complex. Private sector blocks tend to have more complicated ownership structures, and less co-operative owners who don’t have the same experience carrying out major capital works projects as social landlords. These complexities mean that delivery of Private Sector Cladding Remediation Fund (PSCRF) remains challenging, but the GLA is continuously working with MHCLG to identify how to make the funding process as streamlined as possible.

Rough Sleepers Leaving Hospital (1)

Sem Moema: In March 2018 the Guardian reported that data obtained from 89 NHS trusts in England found the number of discharges from hospital of people with no fixed abode rose by 29.8% from 6,748 in 2014 to 8,758 in 2018. Do you have any data on the number of people discharged from London hospitals to the street? And do you have any plans to collect such data in the future?

The Mayor: Data on the number of people discharged from London hospitals to the street is not routinely collected by the NHS, and there are currently no plans to routinely collect this information. Though there is a range of data collected by the NHS, MHCLG, and the Combined Homelessness and Information Network (CHAIN) database that provide some information on this issue, none give an accurate estimate of discharges from hospital to the street. We are working alongside the Healthy London Partnership and other partners to develop a more robust system of data collection from hospitals.

Green Walls and Roofs for London (2)

Leonie Cooper: How quickly can funding be made available to increase the number of green walls and roofs in London? When do you expect this funding to start and how quickly will see these improvements locally?

The Mayor: Securing new green roofs and walls through development is the most effective way to increase their coverage at scale and speed. To ensure this happens I have introduced an innovative Urban Greening Factor policy in my new London plan, which for the first time sets targets for the amount and quality of greening that all major developments should provide. This will accelerate greening across the city, including the provision of new green walls and green roofs where locally relevant. I will monitor the amount of greening being provided through the Planning Data Hub.
Retrofitting is possible but is significantly more expensive and slower to deliver. To achieve the scale of investment required a range of new funding sources would need to be leveraged from government and the private sector. I will be supporting further research to develop and test mechanisms to increase investment in nature-based solutions such as green roofs and walls.

Strengthening London’s Greenbelt

Leonie Cooper: Which parts of the Green Belt have been identified as under threat and in need of rewilding? How will you prioritise which areas receive funding first and when do you expect to start improving these areas?

The Mayor: Poor quality sites in the Green Belt are particularly under threat. While my London Plan provides strong protection for the Green Belt and takes a robust approach to resisting development proposals that would cause harm, enhancing and improving access to the Green Belt is also important for sites at risk of being lost to development.
This summer I will be inviting boroughs and other organisations to apply to my Green New Deal funding programme for green space improvement. Rewilding and other landscape improvement projects which can be delivered quickly will be eligible for this funding including sites in the Green Belt which are in areas of deficiency in access to public open space. Projects in locations which provide improved access to green space for communities most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are in areas of high climate risk will be prioritised for funding.

Good Growth Fund Jobs

Shaun Bailey: How many jobs have been created as a result of Good Growth Fund supported projects during your first term as Mayor? Please give a breakdown by borough.

The Mayor: As of March 31st 2021, Good Growth Fund projects had been created or safeguarded 970 jobs.
Taking this with the publicly available companion Q&A on future outputs of the Good Growth Fund and data supplied with further MQs, it is clear that there are many more jobs to come, which we can all agree is good news.
With all the information on the fund available, it would be misleading to claim that these programmes had “only” delivered the current numbers of jobs when the programmes were clearly designed to run into the future and have been communicated as such.

The Mayor: MQ 2021-2096 Good Growth Fund Jobs_supporting doc.docx

Good Growth Fund Jobs Targets

Shaun Bailey: How many jobs do you aim to create through Good Growth Fund supported projects during this mayoral term? Please give a target number and a breakdown by sector and borough.

The Mayor: Once completed, the remaining Good Growth Fund projects, which are all currently in delivery, aim to create or safeguard an additional 6,417 jobs. The breakdown by borough is attached. The breakdown of jobs by sector will be contingent on the information being reported by delivery partners and then being independently verified as part of a programme evaluation.

The Mayor: MQ 2021-2097 Good Growth Fund Jobs Targets_supporting doc.docx

Arts & Culture Job Creation

Shaun Bailey: How many jobs have you created through your arts and culture budget spending each year since May 2016? Please give a breakdown of each project, the cost and number of jobs created.

The Mayor: The creative economy is responsible for 1 in 6 jobs in London and was growing at a faster rate than the economy as a whole before the pandemic. Despite COVID-19, sectors such as film and television continue to be strong and will be key to London’s economic recovery.
Creative Economy Growth Programme invests in the creative industries including film, TV, games, fashion and design unlocking employment by delivering inward investment into the creative industries and by providing businesses (particularly SMEs) with opportunities to trade and make sales. This builds on investment that the previous two Mayors have made in the creative industries. Since 2016, my investment in Film London has created 35,769 employment opportunities. In the next 12 months, my programme will deliver up to £300m in film investment and 3,500 jobs, £15m investment and 90 jobs in the games industries, £13m in sales for 600 design businesses, and £60m in sales for fashion businesses.

Press Spending

Shaun Bailey: Please give a breakdown of your press spend for each year of your first term as Mayor?

The Mayor: The total cost of the Mayor’s Press office since 2016 is as follows. This includes the budget for the shared service media monitoring contract provided to the Mayor and the London Assembly, TfL, Crossrail and the Met Police.
Financial Year
Total Spend
2020-21
1,097,285
2019-20
977,912
2018-19
920,968
2017-18
833,006
2016-17
824,361
2015-16
732,537
2014-15
725,071

Mayor's Construction Academy Jobs

Shaun Bailey: How many jobs have been created through the Mayor’s Construction Academy each year since it was created?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) is not designed to create specific jobs, but rather looks to improve the supply of skilled Londoners to enable construction employers to fill job and apprenticeship vacancies arising from construction activity within the capital.
The MCA programme has a total project value of £11.7m, of which £7.2m capital is for investing in equipment and facilities to support the delivery of construction training in London.

Mayor's Construction Academy Funding

Shaun Bailey: How much funding have you given the Mayor’s Construction Academy each year since it was created?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Construction Academy (MCA) is a £11.7m project which runs from 2018 to 2022. Since delivery began in 2018 it has defrayed a total of £4.2m. This is broken down as follows: £324k revenue in 2018/19; £2.26m in 2019/20 (£780k revenue / £1.48m capital); and £1.6m in 20/21 (£1.4m revenue / £235k capital).

Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation

Andrew Boff: How and when do you intend to bring forward new housing targets and proposals for Old Oak Park Royal Development Corporation?

The Mayor: The proposed changes (modifications) to OPDC’s Local Plan are currently in the middle of a seven-week public consultation, which runs until 5th July. These modifications, together with the unmodified parts of the plan set out how, and where, OPDC expects to deliver 25,500 homes. These targets remain in compliance with those set out in the London Plan.
Of these homes, 13,800 are expected to be delivered within the next ten years and approximately 6,700 are already complete, under construction, have planning permission (or resolution to grant) or are at pre-application stage.
In parallel, OPDC is working on a business case to bring forward infrastructure investments and housing on government land.

Future trade agreements

Marina Ahmad: How will you ensure that London’s needs are represented in future trade deals?

The Mayor: The EU-UK trade deal that came into force on 1 January was the equivalent of a ‘no deal’ Brexit for London’s services’-based economy. No trade deals with other countries or trading blocs come close to the value of our trade with the EU, so improving that deal should be the Government’s immediate focus.
I have urged Ministers to work with the EU to pursue much stronger equivalence arrangements for London’s world-leading financial and professional services based on our shared high standards. We will continue to talk to London’s business community to understand what the London ask would be of future trade relationships with significant markets like the USA and India.

Access to broadband

Marina Ahmad: As flexible and remote working looks set to stay in some form since the pandemic, how will you work to ensure that all Londoners have access to good quality and affordable broadband?

The Mayor: As part of the London Recovery Programme, the Digital Access for All mission includes ensuring that ‘Every Londoner has access to good connectivity, basic digital skills and the device or support they need to be online by 2025.’
MyConnected Londonteamworks with London's Local Authorities to helpthemget the digital connectivity they need for their residents and better co-ordinate with digital infrastructure providers to enable investment into fibre and mobile infrastructure in underserved areas in London.
I am also supportingcoordination ofthe delivery of£31.4m of grant fundingfor improving digital connectivityin London including£10m that I have allocated from theGLA’sStrategic Investment Fund, £6m fromMinistryforHousing,Communities and Local Government, and £15.4m allocated totheboroughs through the Strategic Investment Pot.TheConnected Londonteam are working withTransport for London (TfL)to deliver funding and working closely with London’s local authorities to identify priority sites.

Improving Biodiversity in London (1)

Leonie Cooper: How do you define adequate green space in order to achieve your commitment to ensure that no Londoner lives more than a ten-minute walk from green space?

The Mayor: To help achieve my ambition that all Londoners should live no more than a 10-minute walk from green space I am publishing a new ‘Greenness Index’ that will identify those areas across the capital that are both deficient in access to public green space as well as other greening such as gardens and street trees.
Given the known health, wellbeing, and environmental benefits of green infrastructure, relevant Green New Deal funding programmes will prioritise projects in these areas that create new spaces, improve the quality of and access to existing spaces, and support the wider greening of the public realm.
My London Plan will also ensure that regeneration and development schemes support the delivery of this ambition as they present the best opportunity to create new green space.

Waltham Forest London Borough of Culture 2019 Projects

Shaun Bailey: Please can you give a breakdown of which projects were given funding as part of Waltham Forest’s 2019 London Borough of Culture programme? Please state how much funding each project received.

The Mayor: Waltham Forest was awarded £1.35m to deliver the first ever London Borough of Culture in 2019. They involved all 88 schools in the borough, delivered over 1000 events, activities and workshops, and recruited over 1000 volunteers, who went on to support the council’s COVID-19 response in 2020. The programme attracted visitors from across London and generated over £4.1m spent by audiences across the ten major events with 83 per cent of attendees spending money locally.
Waltham Forest Council leveraged £1.1m of external investment into the programme. All funds were managed directly by the council, and they were responsible for the allocation of the budget. For example, over £500k was awarded in Fellowship Funding to support community-led cultural activity in every ward of the borough. For the full project breakdown, please refer to Waltham Forest’s evaluation report, ’The Story of Our Year’ on the GLA website: https://www.london.gov.uk/node/55835.

Biodiversity in London (3)

Leonie Cooper: How will you fund your commitment to ensure that no Londoner lives more than a ten-minute walk from green space?

The Mayor: My Green New Deal funded programmes, including the Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme, will create and improve green spaces and green the public realm, targeted at areas of greatest need.
This follows the £13 million Greener City Fund delivered in my first term, which supported over 280 projects to green 400 hectares of our city, and my Grow Back Greener Fund, which is currently supporting 34 community projects in areas of poor access to green space and high deprivation.
However, enhancing and increasing green spaces at the scale and speed required will need investment from a range of sources, including new funding streams from the private sector. Further to the recommendations of the London Green Spaces Commission my officers will be undertaking further research to develop and test new funding mechanisms to support long term investment in green spaces and will ensure new green spaces are secured through major regeneration schemes where needed.

Biodiversity in London (4)

Leonie Cooper: When will you be in position to deliver on your commitment to ensure that no Londoner lives more than a ten-minute walk from green space? How quickly will Londoners see improvements to green space locally?

The Mayor: I will be launching my new funding programmes to create and improve green spaces and green the public realm this summer. These will prioritise projects in areas that have poor access to green space so that more Londoners are able to benefit from greener spaces within a 10-minute walk of where they live.
This follows the £13 million Greener City Fund delivered in my first term, which supported over 280 projects to green 400 hectares of our city, and my Grow Back Greener Fund, which is currently supporting 34 community projects in areas of poor access to green space and high deprivation.
These programmes, alongside measures to protect and increase green space within my London Plan, will also help to achieve the target in my London Environment Strategy for more than half of London’s area to be green by 2050.

Green Walls and Roofs for London (1)

Leonie Cooper: How many green walls and roofs do you plan to install during this term as Mayor?

The Mayor: A report published in 2019 by the European Federation of Green Roofs and Walls Associations and Livingroofs.org showed London is a leader on policy and the amount of green roofs and walls being installed. Between 2010 and 2017 the area of green roofs doubled across the capital, with the Central Activity Zone having a higher density per inhabitant than many other world cities.
To accelerate progress further I have introduced the Urban Greening Factor into the London Plan which requires all major developments to provide minimum standards of greening. Through this policy most new major developments will include a green roof or wall, or where more suited to the local context, other high-quality greening such as flower-rich areas, trees or nature-based sustainable drainage.
My Green New Deal funding programmes will prioritise greening in areas of greatest need and measures could include green walls or green roofs where appropriate.

Cladding

Anne Clarke: What discussions do you plan to have with the Government regarding the ongoing cladding crisis? With your renewed mandate, will you now call on the Government to properly fund remediation for private blocks?

The Mayor: Since the tragedy at Grenfell Tower, I have continuously lobbied the Government to take all the necessary actions to make homes safe. I have pressed the Government for decisive action, calling for a long-term funding solution to make all buildings safe (regardless of height or the type of safety defect), which protects leaseholders from costs. In December 2020, I called for a windfall tax on developer profits which could raise more than £3 billion to help pay for work to remediate private blocks and other building safety work. I am pleased that ministers have since announced their intention to bring in a similar levy. I will continue to engage with the Government to find a comprehensive solution to the building safety crisis once and for all.

Development of GLA Land (1)

Sem Moema: Is there a need to streamline housing development across the wider GLA Group? Please give your reasons.

The Mayor: There is a need to streamline housing development across the wider GLA Group to ensure that best practice is being shared effectively and the GLA Group is maximising the delivery of affordable housing on its own land. Where organisations work independently, opportunities may be missed to use the strengths or powers of the individual members. There have been recent positive examples of successful collaboration such as at Hendon (between MOPAC and the GLA) where partnership working has resulted in delivery against policy objectives of delivering affordable housing and securing a financial return to MOPAC.
In my manifesto I have pledged to commission an independent review to streamline housing delivery across the wider GLA Group and in the meantime to achieve collaboration more widely, a cross-GLA Group programme has been established across policy, planning and delivery. The aim of this collaboration is to improve strategic planning and delivery across the GLA Group and consider how the individual programmes of work contribute to a single objective to deliver against my mayoral priorities while fulfilling the obligations placed on each functional body to achieve best value.

Building Safety Fund Process (1)

Anne Clarke: What is the process for buildings registering to the Building Safety Fund, from first registration to fully funded?

The Mayor: The Government has published guidance which sets out the process for the Building Safety Fund. Following registration, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) determines whether buildings are eligible to make a full application to the fund at which point, they are passed to the GLA. The GLA then manages the fund application process and, if projects are approved, the contracting process. This is followed by the drawdown of grant.

Waste Management Site on Claremont Road, Cricklewood

Anne Clarke: I am concerned that in Cricklewood, there is a waste management site alongside residential homes and a Centrepoint Hostel. The dust is so thick that residents are unable to open their windows and the impact on their lives is enormous. What can you do from City Hall to push Barnet Council to relocate this site away from residential homes?

The Mayor: My London Plan is clear that waste sites should be enclosed where they are likely to affect surrounding residents and that boroughs’ planning decisions take account of nuisance-generating uses sensitively. Where applications are referable to the Mayor, my officers will assess compliance with the London Plan, making recommendations to the local authority that these requirements are met and are a condition of the planning permission.
For existing waste sites, it is the responsibility of the local authority and Environment Agency to address any concerns about the operations of a particular site and the impact on the local area. Local authorities have powers to enforce conditions of the planning permission and the Environment Agency has powers to enforce environmental regulations set out in the site’s Environmental Permit.

Building Safety Fund Process (3)

Anne Clarke: What guidance has been given to buildings registering with the Building Safety Fund on how they should communicate the process with affected leaseholders and other residents?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Question No: 2021/1636 which contains a link to the Government’s website that contains guidance on how the process should be communicated to affected leaseholders and other residents. There is also a leaseholder feedback form which enables concerned leaseholders to let the Government know the details of their building and if they are concerned the owner of their building is not taking sufficient action to remediate unsafe cladding or is passing remediation costs onto leaseholders.

Building Safety Fund Process (2)

Anne Clarke: How has this been communicated to the buildings registering for funding?

The Mayor: The Government has published a website which contains information and resources relating to the Building Safety Fund (BSF) for the remediation of unsafe non-aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding systems. When the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) determines a building is eligible to apply for a full BSF application, it writes to the registrant.

Good Growth Fund Criteria

Neil Garratt: Please can you provide the details of the selection process and criteria for choosing projects to award Good Growth funding to?

The Mayor: The projects are assessed against the following criteria:
The selection process is undertaken by the Regeneration Area Teams, along with colleagues from across the GLA (culture, environment, transport, planning and others) to ensure the projects deliver the broad, place-based outcomes.

GLA and the Building Safety Fund

Anne Clarke: What processes have been put in place to ensure that buildings registering to the Building Safety Fund receive consistent advice when contacting the GLA team administering the fund for support?

The Mayor: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is responsible for processing registrations to the Building Safety Fund (BSF). The GLA team first engages with applicants once the MHCLG has approved the technical eligibility of a building for the BSF.
To ensure consistency across all applications, any advice provided by the GLA team administering the fund is based on MHCLG’s guidance documents available on the BSF webpage: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#fund-application-guidance
Additionally, my team has weekly meetings with MHCLG and Homes England, the other delivery partner of the BSF where any changes to guidance or processes are communicated.

Sutton Works Good Growth Funding

Neil Garratt: Please can you provide me with the details of why and how the Sutton Works project was given Good Growth Funding and your assessment of the business case?

The Mayor: Through my Good Growth Fund, I am supporting LB Sutton’s plan to diversify the high street and repurpose the former BHS store into a new workspace with community use. The project demonstrates how high streets and town centres are adapting to meet local needs by taking up vacant spaces to facilitate near home working, local employment opportunities, and new community uses with support for disadvantaged groups– all of which align with the objectives of the Good Growth Fund and the High Street for All mission of the London Recovery Board.
Evidence submitted by the council demonstrated market analysis and demand for the project, which was assessed within LB Sutton’s application to the Fund. Specifically, the Good Growth Fund will support the publicly accessible parts of the building, including the roof garden space. Sutton Works will also compliment LB Sutton’s plan to develop a life science cluster in the Borough, which I am also fully supportive of.

Homes on GLA Land

Sem Moema: The March 2021 Homes for Londoners Board paper provides information from GLA Group functional bodies about housing delivery on GLA Group land. Can you provide similar tables for a) stars on TfL Land and b) completions across all GLA Group functional bodies?

The Mayor: Since May 2016 there have been 1,567 homes started on TfL Land. From April 2016 to May 2021 a total of 9,720 homes have been completed on GLA Group Land.
Completions are not routinely reported and so have been provided by the GLA Group members in answer to this question as follows: GLA Land and Property Ltd (GLAP) and joint venture interests: 8,589, Transport for London (TfL): 266, London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC): 804 and London Fire Commission (LFC): 61. Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation does not own any land and Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) does not monitor completions after land has been disposed of.

Community Housing Fund

Sem Moema: For your £38 million Community Housing Fund, how much funding has been committed to date and how many homes across how many schemes will be delivered as a result?

The Mayor: Ninety-one schemes (with potential to deliver over 1,000 homes) have been allocated £1.8m of early stage revenue funding, to support group governance and agree a site. Eight schemes (for 136 homes) have been allocated a total of £2.9m of advanced stage revenue funding, for example, to submit a planning application and appoint a contractor. Capital funding of £16.9m has been allocated. This is for 148 homes, of which 82 are included in the 136 home figure above.

Key Worker Housing (2)

Sem Moema: You have said that planning guidance will be strengthened to enforce the expectation that key workers should be prioritised. Can you provide further details, including what specific guidance will be strengthened, when you expect to make the changes and whether there will be a public consultation on the changes?

The Mayor: In response to feedback received from my recent public consultation on Intermediate Housing, I have committed to strengthening planning guidance so that key workers are prioritised in the planning system, with regard to local need, where local authorities and housing providers set additional prioritisation criteria for the first three months of marketing new intermediate homes.
This expectation will be included in an update to the Mayor’s affordable housing guidance, to build on the existing policy of the London Plan 2021 Policy H6 and supporting text 4.6.10. The updated guidance is expected to be published for public consultation later in 2021.

Estate regeneration projects (2)

Sem Moema: As of 5 March 2021, there were 39 Estate regeneration projects where the GLA has approved funding since introducing the Resident Ballot Requirement. Can you provide details of which projects held a residents’ ballot? And which did not due to receiving an exemption from the GLA or because they fell beyond the scope of the resident ballots funding condition?

The Mayor: Information on estate regeneration projects seeking GLA funding that have been supported by a majority of residents in a ballot and on the projects for which the GLA has granted exemptions from the resident ballot requirement is published at the following link:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/increasing-housing-supply/estate-regeneration-data

Defibrillators

Sakina Sheikh: How will you ensure that London has sufficient coverage of defibrillators?

The Mayor: The GLA continues to be part of the London-wide Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Steering Group, and the partnership is committed to improving outcomes for Londoners. A key ambition is to increase the number of public access defibrillators (PADs). Through the dedicated efforts of partners such as the London Ambulance Service and St John’s Ambulance, London has a growing coverage of PADs, especially in places with high footfall like train stations. The partnership is now looking at how we can further expand this coverage within residential areas, and I stand ready to do all I can to support.
Coverage of PADs is only one element to saving lives. We must also give Londoners the confidence to use PADs and equip them with the skill of CPR. I will continue to promote CPR and PAD training to Londoners, including on Restart a Heart Day in October. I am pleased that the government has now introduced this training as part of the school curriculum in England and I will use my networks to help support schools to access materials and information from organisations like the British Heart Foundation and the Resuscitation Council.

London is Open KPIs

Shaun Bailey: Please can you provide a copy of the KPIs used for the “London is Open” campaign?

The Mayor: Pleasesee my response to Mayor'sQuestion 2020/3691.

Vaccination Uptake in Deprived Areas

Emma Best: What actions are you taking to increase vaccination uptake in the most deprived areas of London?

The Mayor: Vaccination is an NHS responsibility, and I played my part in promoting the annual flu programme throughout my first term.
Since the COVID-19 vaccine rollout has begun, my communications teams have been working closely with the NHS, PHE and other London partners to deliver a London wide vaccination campaign to encourage vaccine uptake. The campaign continues to produce and promote content that encourages vaccine uptake in communities where we have seen high levels of hesitancy or other barriers.
We are also delivering a community engagement programme to support vaccine rollout. This is based on evidence around the communities who show high levels of vaccine hesitancy or face structural barriers to accessing the vaccine.
We are continuing to raise issues of barriers to vaccination across the range of meetings that we are involved in and advocating for timely and adequate supplies of vaccines.

Early Years Funding

Emma Best: How much funding have you allocated to early years programmes for each year since 2016?

The Mayor: Data below provides the net GLA expenditure on early years programmes.
2016/17: £47,815
2017/18:  £325,263
2018/19: £327,175
2019/20: £450,347
2020/21: £233,658
The GLA 2021/22 budget allocation for early years programmes is £220,000. As well as this the Early Years Sector Skills ESF Project has a contracted budget of £462,000 in 2021/22 which is funded by the European Social Fund and the Adult Education Budget (AEB).
In addition, £3,450,000 was directed from the AEB in 2019/20 to support Child Development and Wellbeing courses. In 2019/20, AEB learner support amounted to £31,186,000, of which around 7 per cent corresponds to childcare costs.

Healthy Early Years Targets

Emma Best: What targets have you set for the Healthy Early Years Programme for the next three years?

The Mayor: We had to pause our usual activity and promotion of our Healthy Early Years London programme due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact it had on this sector, with many settings having to close. We also had capacity challenges within the team due to a redirection of resource to support with the response.
The health team is assessing all the health programmes, including HEYL, to ensure they are meeting the needs of the settings, staff, young Londoners and parents. No targets have been set yet, but we will be working with the system and the settings to plan and shape the future of the programme. I will be delighted to update on completion of this engagement and refinement work.

Early Years Practical Schemes

Emma Best: The Healthy Early Years Programme has been running since 2017 with clearly little to show. Would it not be best to invest in practical schemes such as the Alexandra Rose scheme instead of giving early years settings ‘awards’ for measures they have been implementing for years?

The Mayor: There was no framework for mental and physical health in early years settings when I worked with Local Government to develop this award scheme, and it has been welcomed by many settings.
We continue to review our health programmes to ensure they are designed to best support Londoners’ needs. Uptake of the Healthy Early Years programme has been growing over the years and there is clearly a commitment and ambition within the settings to support the health needs of the youngest Londoners. Discussions and engagement with the sector, participants and the wider health and care partnership will be crucial in ensuring we are providing the right resource and support to our youngest Londoners.

Reducing the carbon impact of existing building stock

Leonie Cooper: How are you working with London private sector landlords, domestic and non-domestic, to encourage them to reduce the carbon impact of their existing building stock?

The Mayor: Reducing emissions from London’s privately-owned buildings is central to achieving my ambition for net-zero by 2030. I am working closely with partners across London to mobilise finance and drive retrofitting projects which create jobs and tackle fuel poverty. My Energy Efficiency Fund (MEEF) provides flexible and competitive finance to accelerate large decarbonisation projects and my Local Energy Accelerator (LEA) provides grant funding to develop clean energy projects.
My new Business Climate Challenge pilot offers support to 20 businesses in decarbonising their buildings, including private sector landlords. I have commissioned guidance, published on the London Business Hub, which provides businesses with clear steps on how to lower their building emissions.
In the domestic sector my Warmer Homes Programme is available to Landlords of low-income tenants and supports them to meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. I have secured a further £9.45m through the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme phase one, which will enhance Warmer Homes delivery.

Encouraging uptake of community energy projects

Leonie Cooper: How are you encouraging all London Boroughs to supportgreater uptake of community energyprojects?

The Mayor: My London Community Energy Fund (LCEF) provides much-needed support to get community energy projects up and running across the capital. LCEF has now allocated over £1,000,000 across 4 rounds since 2017 to support 86 projects across 26 local authorities in London. Completion of all these projects is estimated to save around 2,500 tC per year. We have promoted the LCEF to boroughs to encourage them to work with community energy groups to identify sites for energy projects.
We are funding Community Energy London (CEL) to undertake several tasks to help deliver community energy projects, including engaging London’s boroughs through roundtables and individual discussions. Partnering with community energy groups can provide local authorities with a socially inclusive method to reach residents, deliver projects to reduce carbon and stimulate the economy, and to promote further climate action.

C40 Cities

Leonie Cooper: What work have you been doing with C40 Cities ahead of COP26?

The Mayor: C40 Cities remains an important global network for demonstrating the action cities are taking and to lobby governments to unleash their potential in tackling the climate emergency. This year represents a vital time in tackling the climate and ecological emergencies, culminating in the COP26 summit in November. As a founder of C40, London continues to play vital role leading several areas of work. .
Ahead of COP26 I will continue to work with C40 across the Divest/Invest and Clean Air Forums we co-chair, as well as support C40’s wider programme of activity in the lead up to and at COP26, much of which is currently being finalised. This activity will include showcasing how London is implementing its Green New Deal through a just transition, and making the case for cities to receive appropriate powers and funds to deliver climate goals.

Climate Action Week 2021

Leonie Cooper: What events are you planning for London Climate Action Week 2021?

The Mayor: London Climate Action Week showcases climate action in London, harnessing the power of our city to tackle the climate emergency- this year it is critical to coming together for a green recovery. City Hall is working with partners on a range of events to engage Londoners including the Schools Climate Summit Which will promote adoption of the GLA’s climate adaptation guidance for schools.
I will be hosting a virtual Business Climate Action summit, together with my London Business Climate Leaders and the Confederation of British Industry, calling on businesses to work together- with the public sector, their supply chains and the communities they serve to achieve a Green New Deal and make London net-zero by 2030.
Further, the London Sustainable Development Commission’s Women in Cleantech programme will be participating in multiple events throughout the week, working to promote gender diversity in the low-carbon, circular economy sector. The London Climate Change Partnership will be holding adaptation events and the GLA will participate.

Covid Recovery

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the work he is doing to help businesses in Merton and Wandsworth to get back on their feet once restrictions are lifted?

The Mayor: Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, my London Business Hub business support initiative opened five physical hubs across London, including sites in Lambeth and Croydon which serve businesses in Wandsworth and Merton respectively. During the pandemic, all advice moved online. It includes a property advice service, a panel of Brexit expert advisers, a programme to support business leaders through recovery, a series of peer networks, one-to-one advice and a programme of online events. Growing businesses can also access support from my International Business Programme, which is delivering virtual trade missions, and the business growth programme managed by London & Partners.
The London Business Hub has also established a Covid-19 business support hub which includes guides to reopening safely and a grant finder tool.
For businesses in Wandsworth, my team are working with the borough to develop a pilot programme of navigation support.

London-wide property licensing

Sem Moema: What has been the Government’s response to your request to devolve powers on a) approving local authority licensing schemes or b) setting up a London-wide scheme?

The Mayor: I am a firm supporter of London-wide property licensing and believe well-designed and operated licensing schemes can improve standards and conditions for London’s private renters. The Government continues to have the final say on whether new schemes can be implemented, and the current system allows significant variation between how different councils operate licensing schemes. The result is a confusing patchwork of different schemes and conditions in London.
I am continuing to call on Government to devolve these powers and my team continue to meet with officials to discuss this.

Reforming private renting (2)

Sem Moema: Your report “Reforming private renting: The Mayor of London’s blueprint” said the Government should enable you to develop and implement a system to reduce private rents in London gradually over time, by devolving certain powers to you. Can you provide an update on your discussions with Government over the devolution of those powers?

The Mayor: I continue to call on the Government to devolve powers for me to implement rent controls in the capital. The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact on renters’ finances, and, in that context, protecting renters from rent rises is even more urgent. That is why I have written to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government setting out my call for a two-year rent freeze in response to the pandemic, as an interim step to delivering a system of rent controls that make rents more affordable in London. My team continues to meet regularly with MHCLG officials on this and related issues.

All-London Green Grid

Leonie Cooper: When will the ALGG be produced?

The Mayor: My new London Plan places greater emphasis on enhancing London’s green infrastructure network, providing a strengthened framework for strategic planning, building on the ALGG approach.
I have introduced a requirement for boroughs to produce green infrastructure strategies to ensure they plan and invest in an integrated way. My new urban greening factor requires all major developments to provide minimum standards of greening that responds to the priorities set out in these strategies.
My new London Plan was delayed by government. Now that it has been published, this strengthened policy framework requires new guidance to enable boroughs to deliver this approach. I have already published Urban Greening Factor and designing for biodiversity net gain guidance. Further new guidance on the preparation of green infrastructure strategies will be published later this year, Given the delays in publishing the Plan and the need for other new GI guidance an updated ALGG will now be published early next year.

Environmentalism and Social Justice

Leonie Cooper: In your manifesto you recognise that environmentalism is a matter of social justice. How will your policies ensure that those living in more deprived areas are prioritised for Green New Deal and other funding?

The Mayor: Social justice and environmental justice go hand in hand. My Green New Deal programmes are targeting the most deprived areas or groups in London and those most affected by the pandemic. For example my Future Neighbourhoods 2030 programme is focused on areas of climate vulnerability, poor air quality, limited access to green space, deprivation or communities most negatively impacted by the pandemic. Other projects such as my North London district energy scheme will support the provision of fairly priced, low carbon heat in areas of high deprivation.
I recently launched the Climate Risk Map, which maps environment risks with social indicators such as age and deprivation. In developing new programmes my officers are using this mapping to better target interventions where they are most needed. We are working through the London Recovery programme to promote the use of the tool to other institutions.

Camden High Line

Elly Baker: Please provide details of all funding provided by the GLA to the Camden highline.

The Mayor: The Camden High Line was supported through Round 4 of my Crowdfund London programme, which pledges money and support to a wide range of community-led projects - from street art to community gardens, kitchens and pocket parks.
In August 2017, the GLA provided Camden Town Unlimited with £2,500 of match funding towards feasibility work, totalling £37,236 in value, exploring the transformation of a disused railway line into a public park and pedestrian green link between Kings Cross and Camden.

Shared Ownership Charter for Service Charges (5)

Sem Moema: Can you provide an update on what discussions the GLA has had with the wider housing industry to extend the charter to other new leasehold homes?

The Mayor: GLA officers have begun work on developing a new and improved Charter. In line with my London Housing Strategy, this work will include working with the homebuilding industry to explore how the principles of the Charter might be extended to the wider leasehold sector.

Greening Homes in the London Plan

Sakina Sheikh: How will your new London Plan increase greening of homes in London?

The Mayor: I have introduced an Urban Greening Factor (UGF) in Policy G5 of my London Plan which requires major developments, including new homes, to include elements of greening as a fundamental aspect of scheme design. The policy sets target scores for residential and commercial development which take account of both the quality and quantity of greening provided and will promote an increase in greening as part of development across London.

London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan (1)

Sem Moema: The July 2020 London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan recommended “Government should consider the introduction of a new Compulsory Selling Order (CSO) which would enable councils to bring forward developable land that is not released for development, without the time and cost implications of a CPO. This would enable councils to promote the development of unused sites in their areas, where they may not wish to hold the site for direct development of new council homes”. Do you know the Government’s view of this recommendation?

The Mayor: The Government has not responded formally to this recommendation. I am keen to work with Government to continue to monitor the impact of the pandemic and to develop solutions that support the delivery of new homes in London.

London’s airline industry jobs

Marina Ahmad: How will you support employment within London’s airline industry which has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic?

The Mayor: I fully recognise how hard hit the airline industry and its partners have been during the last 16 months. The aviation sector is a vital contributor to jobs and the economy. Since the start of the pandemic, my Transport for London and Greater London Authority teams have been liaising with London airports at all levels. I have met the CEO of London Heathrow airport, to discuss how we can support the sector and work towards a green recovery.
My London Recovery Board is looking at how to support the hardest hit sectors like aviation recover from the pandemic. Intervention is required so that the short-term jobs crisis does not become a longer-term structural issue. We are exploring what help the sector needs including reskilling and diversifying airport economies, prioritising sustainability and linking to emerging sectoral clusters.

Apprenticeships

Marina Ahmad: How will you support good quality and London Living Wage paid apprenticeships in London over your second term?

The Mayor: My London Progression Collaboration Programme (LPC) has facilitated the transfer of over £5.3m of unspent apprenticeship levy to non-levy paying employers to create hundreds of high-quality apprenticeships. The interim evaluation shows employers value the support provided by the LPC to navigate the complex apprenticeship system. I will use these findings to lobby the Government for increased support for employers and powers and funding to create a London Apprenticeship Service.
I will continue to lead by example, ensuring apprenticeships created within the GLA group are high quality and fairly paid.
I will continue to ask employers to adopt the principles of my Good Work Standard (GWS). This includes fair pay and conditions, workplace wellbeing, diversity and support for skills and progression
Through my Helping Londoners into Good Work Recovery Mission, I will work with employers using my planned academies model to support those most affected by the pandemic into quality apprenticeships in priority sectors.
I will also use responsible procurement frameworks and contractual levers to ensure that apprenticeships created via my recovery mission investments are of high quality.

Young Londoners Fund (2)

Susan Hall: The Young Londoners Fund is currently closed for applications; when is this expected to reopen?

The Mayor: Since it launched in October 2018, the Young Londoners Fund (YLF) has funded over 300 projects delivering education, sport, cultural and other activities for young Londoners. In March 2021, the total number of young people supported was 89,865 – well on track to meet our target of 110,000 by December 2022.
The YLF was funded by the allocation of one-off resources from reserves – made possible by higher than expected business rate and council tax returns. Delivery of the programme will come to an end in December 2022.
Support for young people continues to be a priority, with a significant proportion of the New Deal for Young People budget over the next 2-years contributing to a new collaborative young people’s fund. Work is underway to progress this successor to the London Community Response, which aims to bring together a long-term sustainable collaboration of funders. It will provide ongoing funding for quality local activities for young people.

Young Londoners Fund (3)

Susan Hall: In your final budget you earmarked £20.2 million to the Young Londoners Fund in 2021-22; has any of this funding been allocated already and, if so, please provide details of the projects concerned?

The Mayor: Earlier this year, my budget allocated £20.2m from Reserves to deliver activity to support the New Deal for Young People recovery mission. This includes the following allocation:
£7,782,000 Young Londoners Fund (YLF): details of projects granted funding can be found here: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/young-londoners-fund-projects
£7,957,000 Core mission fund: Strategic investment, alongside other London funders, to support the core purpose of the mission, including a new collaborative young people’s fund, as a successor to London Community Response
£1,500,000 My Ends: grant to the Violence Reduction unit for an additional two My Ends grants which provide support, capacity, and funding for locally-designed interventions in neighbourhoods affected by high and sustained levels of violence: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/violence-reduction-unit-vru/my-ends-programme-funds-communities-fighting-back-against-violence
£1,000,000 Wave 5 London Community response: grant awards of c. £50k to 20 projects delivering positive mentoring and personalised support activities for over 4,000 young people. These are due to start delivery in June 2021.
£450,000 Headstart Action: a personal and social development programme for young people aged 14-18, who are at risk of becoming not in education, employment or training.
£275,000 Stepping Stones: supporting disadvantaged children transition from primary to secondary transition through peer mentoring and personalised support
£254,000 My London: a match-funded programme providing funding and support for youth sector organisations to collaborate and design models that increase participation of vulnerable young people in a number of boroughs. Read more here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/volunteering/support-third-sector-organisations/my-london-enabling-youth-social-action
£200,000 Employer, creative and STEM mentoring: New work to coordinate, expand and improve the quality of mentoring targeting those most impacted by the pandemic, particularly young people with SEND and suffering learning loss.
£151,000 YLF Impact for Youth Support Programme, including the YLF Local Networks www.london.gov.uk/YLF-networks

Cladding

Susan Hall: What plans has the Mayor got this term to use his leadership position to hasten the removal of dangerous cladding from buildings in the capital?

The Mayor: I want to build on the progress made during my last term to raise the standards of safety for Londoners’ homes. This includes doing everything within my power to support leaseholders directly - for example, my new Affordable Homes Programme contains new fire safety standards including a ban on combustible materials on all new homes funded through it, regardless of height.
My team are already supporting the delivery of the Social and the Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Funds and the Building Safety Fund. Through these I will work collaboratively with building owners and the Government to speed up removal works.
However, I do not have enforcement powers over building owners – ultimately this crisis can only be solved with further Government action. All leaseholders need protecting from the costs of fixing fire safety defects which they had no role in creating and I will continue to be Londoners’ voice on this issue.

Young Londoners Fund (1)

Susan Hall: Can you provide details of how much funding has been provided to the Young Londoners Fund since its inception, and how much of this has been spent, both with an annual breakdown?

The Mayor: Please see details below:
2018/19 budget: £7,710,000
2018/19 expenditure:  £7,679,283
2019/20 budget:  £12,384,000
2019/20 expenditure: £12,265,768
2020/21 budget:  £14,408,000
2020/21 expenditure: £14,345,460
Please note that the Young Londoners Fund budget has been reprofiled between financial years to align with the profile of grant and contract milestone payments. For example, in 2018/19 grant commitments of £15m were made for round 1 projects that would deliver over the next 3-years. The Young Londoners Fund has budget allocation in 2021/22 and in 2022/23 (when round 2 projects are due to finish) which gives a lifetime budget of £45,170,000.

Digital exclusion

Susan Hall: How will you ensure that digital exclusion is tackled in London, including raising awareness among adult education colleges, libraries & other training providers?

The Mayor: As part of London’s Recovery Programme, I am working to ensure that every Londoner has fast and reliable internet access, basic digital skills and the device/support they need to be online by 2025. From this academic year, any Londoner without basic digital skills can access free training through the Essential Digital Skills Entitlement. I will launch an awareness raising campaign for adult education, including promotion of the entitlements to ensure Londoners can access the training/resources they need to overcome barriers to digital exclusion.
The Adult Education Roadmap consultation will also give employers the opportunity to help make adult education in London more accessible, impactful and locally relevant.
As part of the London Recovery Programme’s Digital Access mission, the London Office of Technology & Innovation (LOTI) and GLA are also joining up data from public, private and civil society sources to enhance the effectiveness of local and London-wide digital inclusion programmes.

Summer Streeteries

Elly Baker: What funding, if any, have you provided for businesses to set up Summer Streeteries?

The Mayor: The High Street Reopening Coordination Group was formed to address challenges across London high streets, including providing a forum for key stakeholders to convene and knowledge share about their approaches to ‘Streeteries’. Guidance published on the London Business Hub also sets out how local authorities and business should work together to help hospitality venues trade safely using outside spaces.
My business support programmes, including Pay It Forward London and my Back to Business fund, have provided funding directly to businesses, including to enable socially distanced trading.
The Recovery Programme has identified High street revival as one of the nine missions to be supported as part of London’s recovery. To that effect, the High Streets for All mission sets out a range of actions that London government will prioritise including the High Street Challenge Fund to help high streets develop strategies for their renewal.

London as a Zero Waste City

Leonie Cooper: How will you use Green New Deal Funding to move London closer to being a zero waste city?

The Mayor: My Green New Deal is providing £1.8 million of funding to the Better Futures and ReLondon Business Transformation Programmes to support the growth of circular and sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Areas of focus cover key sectors, including food, the built environment, fashion and electronics, as well as disposable items prevalent in London, such as coffee cups, nappies and wipes.
Another part of my Green New Deal Fund is the £3m Future Neighbourhoods 2030 Programme which will support boroughs and local communities to drive action across five key sectoral themes including a zero waste, circular economy. ReLondon is working with boroughs to support the zero waste elements of their applications.

Mental health impact of the coronavirus crisis on Londoners

Caroline Russell: The mental health impact of the coronavirus crisis on Londoners has been widely acknowledged, with certain groups having been shown to be disproportionately affected, including children and young people, and people with mental and physical disabilities and/or conditions. Have you reassessed or revaluated any of the objectives of the Health Inequalities Strategy in light of this, and how do you plan to make sure mental health is at the heart of your broader London Recovery Programme?

The Mayor: Covid-19has shone a clear light on the health inequalities affecting our city. The Health Inequalities Strategy was developed with a solid evidence base, and informed by wide consultation. While we know a lot about how the pandemic has affected Londoners, we have yet to understand the full impact across the wider determinants of Londoners health. I will work with my health advisors, Professor Fenton and Dr Coffey, to develop a refreshed Implementation Plan for the HIS, to support action on health inequalities, including in recovery.
Through initial public consultation, mental health and wellbeing were the priority health issue for Londoners when thinking about long-term recovery from the pandemic. In response to this, one of our nine recovery missions is focussed on mental health and wellbeing. Improving the health and wellbeing of all Londoners is a cross cutting principle for the recovery programme, ensuring all our missions consider this in the work they do.

Good Work Standard Update

Shaun Bailey: When will you be updating the Good Work Standard?

The Mayor: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of good work for all Londoners, characterised by fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, diversity, skills and progression. My team keep the criteria under constant review to ensure it remains at the leading edge of employment practice. Good Work Standard (GWS) resources for employers on london.gov.uk are updated to reflect the pandemic and feedback from the GWS community. In my second term I will respond to the particular circumstances of creative freelancers, employers in the on-demand economy and micro businesses.
I will continue to promote the Good Work Standard to employers across the city, including through the GLA Group supply chain, major programmes and relationships with our stakeholder and partner organisations. For employers already engaged in the GWS community, I will signpost them to resources, workshops, case studies and peer-support to support them to update their own practices.

Biodiversity in London (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many new green spaces do you expect to create through your commitment to ensure that no Londoner lives more than a ten-minute walk from green space?

The Mayor: London is the world’s first National Park City, recognising the extent of green space in the city and the policies and programmes for its protection and support. COVID-19 has shown the importance of green space for Londoners’ wellbeing. It has also highlighted the inequalities in access to these spaces and addressing this is a matter of social justice. That’s why protecting, restoring and increasing green spaces is at the heart of my Green New Deal.
The greatest opportunity to create significant new green spaces in London is where major regeneration is taking place. I will support the greening of the public realm including green connections between parks where it is not possible to create new green spaces,
This summer I will launch my new funding programmes to create and improve green spaces and green the public realm, targeted at areas of greatest need. This follows the £13 million Greener City Fund delivered in my first term, which supported over 280 projects to green 400 hectares of our city.

Supporting leaseholders in the North East Constituency (1)

Sem Moema: What measures have been put in place to stop the developers - who built buildings caught up in the cladding crisis, and freeholders who are passing 100% of costs on to leaseholders - from benefitting from GLA funding or from entering into joint ventures with the GLA group?

The Mayor: The building safety crisis has arisen due to collective systemic failings, including a fundamentally flawed regulatory framework. Given most of the housing sector will be implicated in some way, refusing to work with such organisations would significantly diminish our ability to build homes and may be open to legal challenge.
The focus must be on reforming the industry and building safe homes, and I am determined to deliver change. Under my new Affordable Homes Programme, social landlords wishing to bid for funds will have to meet new conditions on building safety, sustainability and design: including the installation of sprinklers or other automatic fire suppression systems in new purpose-built blocks of flats of any height; and a complete ban on combustible materials in the external walls of new residential buildings of any height.
Developers must contribute to cladding remediation and building safety work alongside much needed additional funding from Government. In December I set out proposals for a levy on developer profits that would raise at least £3 billion. It is welcome that the Government has accepted the principle of my proposals, but I urge them to act quickly to relieve leaseholders of the costs they are currently facing.

Funding / Grants for small businesses due to COVID-19 pandemic in the North East Constituency (1)

Sem Moema: What measures have been put in place since 31st March 2021 when Local Business Support Grant applications will be closed? Many residents within my constituency require ongoing small business funding and grants due to the detrimental effect of Covid-19 and mounting personal debts.

The Mayor: The London Business Hub’s business support advisers are continuing to support SMEs with identifying funding opportunities, getting ‘investment ready’ and supporting them with their applications for grant and loan funding.
I have been clear with Government that financial support for businesses should continue for as long as social distancing and travel (including international travel) restrictions remain in place. It must cover any period of restrictions on businesses’ ability to trade viably, and up until sufficient levels of footfall and tourism return to our high streets and central London.
Through my Pay It Forward London initiative, small businesses across London can continue to raise vital funds and stay afloat, rebuild and recover from the impacts of Covid-19. Since the launch of the platform in April 2020, over 30,000 Londoners have donated over £2.5m to support over 500 local businesses.

Edmonton incinerator affecting North East Constituency

Sem Moema: My constituents are concerned about proposals by the North London Waste Authority to replace the current incinerator in Edmonton with a much larger one. They claim that toxic pollution will harm everyone who lives, works and studies nearby, in one of London’s most deprived neighbourhoods. Although it is not based within my NE London constituency, it will serve residents in Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest, as well as in Camden, Barnet and Enfield. My constituents share the concerns of those who live in Edmonton itself. Can you reassure them that their worries will be heeded?

The Mayor: In November 2019 there was an unsuccessful attempt to seek a judicial review of the Secretary of State’s decision for the Edmonton Incinerator scheme. It is no longer possible to pause the scheme or bring any further legal challenge to this decision.
I am now focused on making sure that this facility, and other incinerators, minimise their local impact. This includes ensuring they only manage truly non-recyclable waste, maximising electricity generation, capturing and using the waste heat created, and reducing air pollution.
In May 2020 I published an independent literature review of the health effects of waste incineration. This review found that well-managed modern plants are unlikely to pose a significant health risk but there are still air pollution concerns. The Environment Agency is responsible for enforcing this regime and I expect them to do so diligently at Edmonton.
I intend to achieve compliance with legal limits for NO2 by 2025 and WHO targets for PM2.5 by 2030. This means reducing all sources of pollution, including from incinerators and I have urged Government to keep emissions controls in line with international best practice post-Brexit.

Supporting leaseholders in the North East Constituency (1)

Sem Moema: Many leaseholders have contacted my office to raise situations where they face spiralling costs for service charges, insurance, waking watches and mortgages. How are you supporting my constituents who find themselves caught up in the EWS1 form scandal?

The Mayor: In September 2020, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government raising my concerns about the External Wall System process and the impact it is having on leaseholders. I said that it was unacceptable that thousands of people’s lives were on hold while waiting for an EWS1 form confirming their block complies with the Government guidance. In that letter I outlined five actions for the Government to take to ensure the safety of residents and to stop the devasting effects the EWS1 crisis is having. The letter can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/housing-and-land-publications/responses-and-correspondence-building-regulations-and-fire-safety
I have convened a Task and Finish Group to examine and make recommendations for improving the EWS1 form process. The group will support social sector landlords to follow best practice and will improve the experience of residents who have struggled to secure EWS1 forms, leaving them unable to sell their homes and move on with their lives.
I have made clear that a long-term funding solution which protects leaseholders from costs is key to resolving this situation.

Supporting leaseholders in the North East Constituency (2)

Sem Moema: Please provide details of how you have lobbied Government in order to protect leaseholders from the mounting costs they face, which are pushing many close to bankruptcy?

The Mayor: I am clear that the costs of making a building safe should not fall on individual leaseholders and continue to fight on their behalf to bring an end to the building safety crisis.
In September 2020, I wrote to the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government about the EWS1 process. In this and all correspondence since, I have been clear that the Government must provide a long-term funding solution which protects all leaseholders from costs. In December last year, I also called for a levy on private developers to raise £3bn towards cladding replacement works across London. I welcome the Government’s recent agreement in principle to a developer levy, as well as the increased £3.5bn to the Building Safety Fund, but I urge the Government to act quickly to relieve leaseholders of the costs they are currently facing.
You can view the correspondence relating to building safety here:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/housing-and-land-publications/responses-and-correspondence-building-regulations-and-fire-safety

Supporting leaseholders in the North East Constituency (3)

Sem Moema: How are you incentivising developers and freeholders to support leaseholders caught up in the cladding crisis?

The Mayor: As the Mayor of London, I have no direct incentives available to me to force developers and freeholders to support leaseholders. In March 2020, I published an open letter to building owners and managers in London calling on them to take urgent action to improve the safety of residential blocks. In September 2020, I also wrote to over 40 landlords of buildings with unsafe aluminium composite materials (ACM) cladding to urge them to put the safety of their residents first and begin work to remove dangerous ACM cladding immediately.
All correspondence relating to building safety can be read here:
https://www.london.gov.uk/what-we-do/housing-and-land/housing-and-land-publications/responses-and-correspondence-building-regulations-and-fire-safety

Heating Emissions

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the work he is doing to cut heating emissions for home owners and leaseholders in Merton and Wandsworth?

The Mayor: My Warmer Homes Advice Service supported 938 households in Merton and Wandsworth in 2020/21 to reduce heating emissions. This phase of Warmer Homes awarded 77 grants in these boroughs, with works now completed for 37 of these. Phase two of the Local Authority Delivery Scheme allocated £1.635 million to the two boroughs to improve household energy efficiency. The GLA will deliver the scheme in Merton via its contractors.
The GLA funded a study to support the development of a low carbon district energy scheme in Wandsworth, which could provide heat and power to around 800 homes initially.
My London Plan policies also drive carbon reductions from heating in new builds by prioritising energy efficiency so heating demand is lower and encouraging a shift from gas to low carbon heating. In 2019 these policies saved an average 40.6 per cent more carbon than national building regulations require.

Mayor's Construction Academy Targets

Shaun Bailey: What is the target number of jobs to be created through the Mayor’s Construction academy each year over the next three years?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Construction Academy is not a job creation programme, but rather looks to improve the supply of skilled Londoners to fill the construction job and apprenticeship opportunities arising from construction activity within the capital.
The only job creation target on this programme is linked to the capital investment in equipment and facilities to support the delivery of construction training in London.

Shared Ownership Charter for Service Charges (1)

Sem Moema: Please list all Housing Providers directly involved in the development and management of shared ownership in London and confirm which of them have signed up to the charter.

The Mayor: We do not hold comprehensive records of all housing providers involved in the development and management of shared ownership homes in London. The current list of signatories to the Shared Ownership Service Charges Charter can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/so_charter_for_service_charges_-_final_.pdf

Shared Ownership Charter for Service Charges (2)

Sem Moema: Please list all Housing Providers in receipt of affordable housing grant from the GLA and confirm which of them have signed up to the charter.

The Mayor: 27 organisations are currently signed up to the Shared Ownership Service Charges Charter, with these organisations making up over 80% of all Shared Ownership starts achieved so far in the 2016-23 Affordable Homes Programme.
The current list of signatories to the Shared Ownership Service Charges Charter can be found at the link below.
https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/so_charter_for_service_charges_-_final_.pdf
Allocations and receipt of grant funding for all partners in the affordable housing settlement which covers 2016 to 2023 were confirmed in a recent letter to Susan Hall AM and can be viewed at the link below.
https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/londonassembly/meetings/documents/s86189/Appendix%201%20-%20Response%20letter%20to%20Susan%20Hall%20Chair%20of%20the%20Budget%20and%20Performance%20Committee%20September%202.pdf

Good Growth Fund Projects

Shaun Bailey: How many Good Growth Fund supported projects did you support across London during your first term as Mayor? Please give a breakdown of projects and funding per borough.

The Mayor: Over three rounds of the programme a total of 81 Good Growth Fund projects have been awarded capital funding of just under £78 million. The breakdown of projects and funding per borough is attached.

The Mayor: MQ 2021-2095 Good Growth Fund Projects_supporting doc1.docx


  MQ 2021-2095 Good Growth Fund Projects_supporting doc2.docx

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (8)

Nicholas Rogers: Despite the pressures of building new homes for London, can local residents depend on the Mayor to wholeheartedly enact policy and protect the community's open green space and existing recreation spaces, especially with the Covid experience of how precious these spaces are for people's wellbeing?

The Mayor: As I am likely to be the decision-maker in the Stag Brewery case I cannot express a view about this matter in the context of the current planning applications so as not to prejudice my formal decisions. However, more generally the protection and enhancement of green spaces across London, both public and private, is really important to me and my new London Plan contains a number of policies which seek to both protect and enhance existing open spaces and also support the provision of new ones.

GLA consultation on called-in planning applications

Nicholas Rogers: Would you agree that continuing dialogue with local communities is very important for called-in applications, especially in cases such as this where schemes and designs significantly evolve following call-in? Will you commit to improving community engagement along these lines for called-in applications?

The Mayor: My London Plan published in March sets out my approach to Good Growth and I’m committed to fully implementing Policy GG1, which focuses on early and inclusive engagement in planning. Officers are currently working on an enhanced engagement strategy for planning which will include guidance for developers on how they should engage with the community on called in applications.

London’s markets

Marina Ahmad: How will you support markets in London and will these be important to the economic recovery of high streets?

The Mayor: Street Markets are an integral part of any high street and town centre, they reflect the cultural diversity of London and provide local employment and business opportunities for many. There are several actions we are taking here at City Hall to better support markets, including investment through my Good Growth Fund, advocacy and the sharing of best practice.
I will also continue to support Markets by working closely with the London Markets Board and have made available funding through the London Recovery Board’s High Streets for All mission and challenge fund. Building on the success of my ‘Tomorrow’s Market’ business support programme, funding and support is available to Markets which will enable them to form strategies and plans to diversify and secure the long-term sustainability of their markets as well as pilot interventions to test and trial new ideas.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (6)

Nicholas Rogers: Residents have expressed significant concerns about flaws with several supporting documents for this planning application. For example, the Stantec traffic report states that Thames Bank can support both through traffic and parking for 30+ vehicles - yet this road is subject to 28-ft tides 2x daily and is often flooded, rendering it dangerous to both through traffic and parked vehicles. In a second example, the Health Impact Assessment was updated in July 2020 but does not mention the Covid pandemic, despite the likely impact on future health and care needs. Is the Mayor satisfied with the quality of the underlying documents and analysis behind this application?

The Mayor: These matters are being carefully considered by GLA and TfL officers, who will undertake an assessment against relevant planning policy in due course. As I am likely to be the decision-maker in this case I cannot express a view about these matters, or the acceptability of the applicant’s submission generally, so as not to prejudice my formal decision.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (5)

Nicholas Rogers: Residents have raised significant access issues with this application following the Mayor’s call-in. The increase in units was revealed to local residents in late August for a digital consultation, thereby excluding a majority of residents for such a significant change to the plan. Those wishing to engage with planning documents on the GLA website are met with a large volume of over 150 untitled documents, arranged in no logical order, with no navigational aid or search capability provided to assist them. What the Mayor is doing to address this, and ensure that planning documents are accessible and easy to understand, navigate and search?

The Mayor: The planning documents supporting a planning application are prepared by the applicant and submitted and identified in the planning process using their naming conventions. Officers have reviewed the case you highlight, for which there are 39 un-named (or numerically referenced) documents, all of which are cross sections or construction detailed drawings. All documents containing analysis or elevation drawings are named and referenced. The planning team have now reviewed and amended the names so that they are clearer, and they will also look at ways to improve this going forwards.
You will be aware that in my manifesto, I highlighted my commitment to using digital and other tools to support community involvement in planning decisions. My officers are currently working up options and solutions to address this challenge. This will include developing an engagement strategy for planning which will include guidance for developers on how they should engage prior to the hearing with the community on called in applications. This should help ensure residents are better informed about applications before they are formally consulted and invited to comment on them, including any proposed changes.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (4)

Nicholas Rogers: Further to MQ 2020/4764, will you or your deputies commit to meeting with Mortlake Brewery Community Group and other residents to discuss the proposals in advance of the hearing for this application, and benefit from their substantial and deep knowledge of the local community?

The Mayor: I will likely be the decision-maker on this called-in planning application, so in order not to prejudice my formal consideration of the application I will not be able to meet local residents. A public representation hearing will be held where the Council and local residents will have an opportunity to make verbal representations.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (3)

Nicholas Rogers: In your consideration of the Mortlake Brewery planning application, which you called-in against the wishes of local residents and the local planning committee, how are you taking into account the significant transport and congestion problems that this development will cause, as well as the lack of provision of family-sized homes?

The Mayor: These matters are being carefully considered by GLA and TfL officers, who will undertake an assessment against relevant planning policy in due course. Officers will prepare a report and recommendation which will set out all the concerns raised by local residents and others, and I will consider this carefully. As I am likely to be the decision-maker in this case I cannot express a view about these matters now so as not to prejudice my formal decision.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (2)

Nicholas Rogers: If you are unwilling to withdraw your call-in of this application, against the wishes of local residents and the local planning committee, will you take into account the significant local concerns and reject this scheme?

The Mayor: As I am likely to be the decision-maker in this case I cannot express a view about the merits of the application so as not to prejudice my formal decision. A public representation hearing will be held in due course where the Council and local residents will have an opportunity to make verbal representations. GLA officers will prepare a report and recommendation which will set out all the concerns raised by local residents and I will consider this carefully.

London and PM2.5 (2)

Leonie Cooper: What levels of reduction in PM2.5 need to be seen in other areas (such as wood burning, construction or commercial cooking) for London to be zero-carbon and to meet PM2.5 WHO standards by 2030?

The Mayor: Between 2016 and 2019 annual average particulate matter (PM2.5) reduced by 2 micrograms per cubic meter, a reduction of 15 per cent. However, there is work still to be done. 99 per cent of Londoners still live in areas exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) limit. To meet the WHO limit we need further reductions of 1 – 3 micrograms per cubic meter in outer and central London respectively.
Much of this will be achieved by my bold plans including expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the Low Emission Zone for Non-Road Mobile Machinery. However, it will also require action in areas I currently have limit powers, including woodburning, commercial cooking and shipping.
I urge the Government to use the upcoming Environment Bill to give London the powers we need to address these sources and adopt the WHO guideline limit for PM2.5 as a legally-binding target.
Air Quality in London 2016 – 2020: London Environment Strategy (pg 54): https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/air_quality_in_london_2016-2020_october2020final.pdf
Roadmap to meeting WHO guidelines in London by 2030: https://www.london.gov.uk/WHAT-WE-DO/environment/environment-publications/pm25-london-roadmap-meeting-who-guidelines-2030

DD2536 Funding

Susan Hall: This director decision funded three temporary media/government relations roles, at a cost of £117,000. One of these was funded only for a month - what was the purpose/value in doing as such?

The Mayor: When the Recovery programme was established last year, it was led by the Strategy team within the Strategy and Communications directorate. During this time, the team seconded a communications lead from the (postponed) Election Team from May to December 2020, to work with policy teams and External Relations on communication planning for the programme.
A dedicated Recovery Programme team has now been established. The establishment of the team began in the last financial year; including 1FTE to support Government Relations with stakeholder and government liaison relating to Recovery and the Social Recovery Lead who joined the team a month before the end of the financial year, who will oversee the Social Recovery missions working across the GLA and London Councils – Funding for both these posts being secured through DD2536 for the previous financial year. Ongoing funding for the two posts and the remainder of the team are set out in this year’s budget.

DIVERT

Tony Devenish: While welcoming your announcement on the Met’s DIVERT crime prevention programme, why is it only happening at a limited number of custody centres? What percentage of custody centres and potential young people are not able to access this welcome programme?

The Mayor: Since 2018 DIVERT has been in only six major custody suites across London. This year DIVERT will double in size to twelve. This is due to the investment I have made in a programme that has delivered outcomes for young people. The twelve suites are all the major high capacity suites on each Basic Command Unit. This means that the DIVERT coaches will be positioned to help the majority of young people who are arrested. In regards to the other ten suites these are smaller in size with fewer young people being taken there. However, DIVERT will explore flexing coaches to suites situated near to each other with a view offering that intervention to young people who find themselves there. DIVERT is still developing and its impact is still being tested therefore we can review the need to expand it further in the future.

Supporting North East Leaseholders (2)

Sem Moema: What are your priorities for supporting leaseholders in the North East constituency who are caught up in the building safety scandal? How will you also support boroughs so that they are able to take action against freeholders, particularly in light of the possible impact of the Building Safety Bill announced as part of the Queen’s Speech?

The Mayor: The safety of leaseholders in buildings with unsafe cladding remains one of my top priorities. My team are working to support the urgent delivery of the Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund in London on behalf of the Government.
I continue to do all within my powers to support leaseholders and encourage building owners and the Government to speed up and widen the scope of remediation works. In September 2020, I wrote to all building owners in London with unsafe ACM cladding to urge them to speed up remediation and I continue to lobby the Government for a long-term funding solution to make all buildings safe, regardless of height. In addition, I have been vocal in my support for the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign and introduced higher fire safety standards through my London Plan, Affordable Homes Programme and on GLA land.
However, this issue can only be solved with further action by the Government and I do not have enforcement powers over building owners. I have previously highlighted to ministers the weakness in local authorities’ enforcement powers under the Housing Act 2004 and I have pointed out the need for more resources for the Joint Inspection Team.

Right to Buy

Sem Moema: What effect, if any, will the cap on using Right to Buy receipts for acquisitions have on your plans for a “right to buy back fund”?

The Mayor: My proposed new ‘Right to Buy-back fund’ is currently under development. It is therefore difficult to firmly state what impact (if any) the Government’s recent reforms to the Right to Buy receipt spending framework will have on this new offer.
The recent Government reforms will impact on how boroughs can spend their retained Right to Buy receipts – that is, those receipts held by boroughs on agreement with central Government. The reforms are not expected to place any new restrictions on funding administered by the GLA.

Green Homes

Leonie Cooper: Given the Government has just scrapped the Green Homes Grant, will the Mayor look into bringing in a London Green homes grant or loan to take its place?

The Mayor: The Green Homes Grant voucher scheme has been scrapped but I have secured £9.45m to date through the first phase of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme and anticipate a further allocation of £16.8m in the second phase. I am coordinating boroughs in delivering this funding This will deliver energy efficiency improvements to thousands of low income homes. I also intend to bid for London’s fair share of the third phase and the Home Upgrade Grant, alongside maximising our share of the Energy Company Obligation.
The next phase of my Warmer Homes programme will be procured soon and will include non-financial support for Able to Pay households. The full cost to retrofit London’s homes cannot be provided by the GLA alone, which is why I am offering to work with Government to do more for Londoners. Private finance will play a key role and together with the Green Finance Institute I am developing a finance mechanism which will accelerate the flow of private capital into these projects.

Supporting Veterans

Shaun Bailey: What work do you plan to do to support veterans into work and sustainable accommodation during your mayoral term?

The Mayor: I am committed to using my role as Mayor to tackle the many inequalities faced by Armed Forces veterans. The GLA is a signatory to the Armed Services Covenant.
My Forces for London programme delivered by RFEA, The Forces Employment Charity is supporting over 100 Veterans into sustained employment. The programme provides holistic support, including accessing secured housing, ensuring veterans have the best chance of securing employment.
Over 50% of the veterans supported are from a Black Asian and Minority Ethnic background and 59% have been supported into employment.
My Life off the Streets programme supports Veterans Aid in their Welfare to Wellbeing programme. This programme supports UK veterans in London who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and has supported over 400 homeless veterans into accommodation and provided a range of other assistance. Veterans in housing need will benefit from the Mayor’s work to deliver more affordable homes, including social rented homes.

Cladding

Leonie Cooper: Can the Mayor update me on the work he is undertaking to help protect Londoners from the cladding scandal? Has the Mayor met with developers and asked them to take responsibility for the cladding and to speed up removal?

The Mayor: Since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, I have done everything I can to improve the safety of buildings by using my powers directly or lobbying the Government for change.
My Building Safety Team administers the Government’s four funding programmes (Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund) to remediate and make buildings safe in London. I wrote to all building owners with unsafe ACM cladding in September 2020 to urge them to speed up remediation.
My Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development has met with a number of developers, including Ballymore, to urge them to speed up the pace of cladding remediation.
I have introduced new standards through the new London plan, the Affordable Homes Programme and the London Development Panel to deliver the highest levels of fire safety in new homes.
I am a signatory to the the ‘End Our Cladding Scandal’ campaign and have lobbied Government on the Building Safety Bill.
In December 2020 I called for a ground-breaking levy on private developers to fund building safety works. I will continue to lobby the Government to ensure residents in unsafe buildings don’t have to pay for the cost of making their homes safe.

Value for Money Culture

Neil Garratt: Please outline your processes and criteria for choosing arts and culture projects to allocate funding to whilst ensuring value for money for Londoners?

The Mayor: Culture and the creative industries contribute £58bn a year to London’s economy and 1 in 6 jobs and will be vital to the recovery of the capital following the global pandemic.
My Culture and Creative Industries Unit budget is allocated according to the objectives and priorities set out in my Culture Strategy, it includes the GLA's statutory duty to fund the Museum of London jointly with the City of London Corporation, strategic investment in the Creative Industries Economic Growth Programme to support growth in our leading film, TV, games, design and fashion industries and funding for my flagship projects including Creative Enterprise Zones and London Borough of Culture.
For the re-opening programme, London’s recovery missions and foundations underpin the criteria to determine the programmes and projects that will be funded.
All programmes comply with the GLA procurement rules and ensure value for money.

Small and Medium Sized Enterprises Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets have you set for the next three years with regard to supporting Small and Medium Sized Enterprises?

The Mayor: Targets for SME support are set at programme level.
For the London Business Hub initiative, my 2021-22 target for medium intensity (up to 3 hours) and high intensity business support (6 hours plus)is 1,000 businesses.
Targets have not been set for future years, on the basis that future grant funding for the London Business Hub has not been confirmed by the Government. In particular, the Business Hub is currently part-funded by London’s share of the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) programme. But Government has yet to indicate how the UK Shared Prosperity Fund that is intended to replace EU programmes - and which was first announced in 2017 - will be allocated or managed.

Affordable homes

Tony Devenish: How many homes do you intend to build each year?

The Mayor: Despite the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, 13,318 genuinely affordable homes were started last year against a target of 10,300, taking the total number of affordable homes started during my five years in office to 65,809.
My housing team is reviewing projects with partners in order to confirm remaining profiles of homes to be built through my affordable homes programme in the coming years. It is expected that this will be concluded at the end of June 2021.

Affordable housing (6)

Tony Devenish: How many homes from the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme will be started in financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24?

The Mayor: The team is in the process of assessing bids for the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) 2021-26 and further information regarding expected delivery will be noted when partners are in contract for the programme. Contracting is expected to commence in the autumn of this year.

Hospitality in London

Marina Ahmad: How are your Deputy Mayor for Business and your Night Czar supporting the hospitality industry to recover from the pandemic?

The Mayor: Hospitality has been one of the sectors of the economy hit hardest by the pandemic. I’m doing all I can to support the sector get back on its feet.
On 17 May, as part of my Let’s Do London domestic tourism campaign, I launched London Eats, a celebration of our city’s diverse food and drink offer to attract visitors back to central London.
Throughout the pandemic, both my Deputy Mayor for Business and my Night Czar have been engaging with representatives and industry bodies from across the hospitality sector, including UK Hospitality and the British Beer and Pub Association. This helped inform our lobbying of government for sector specific support and City Hall initiatives such as Pay It Forward, to help businesses stay afloat.
My Deputy Mayor for Business, my Night Czar and I continue to work closely with the sector on the safe reopening and recovery of London’s hospitality.

Affordable housing (4)

Tony Devenish: How many homes from the 2016-23 Affordable Homes Programme will be started in financial year 2022/23?

The Mayor: Following year end delivery to March 2021, the GLA is reviewing projects with partners in order to confirm remaining profiles of homes started each year. It is expected that this will be concluded at the end of Q1 for starts to the end of March 2022 with provisional delivery noted for 2022-23.

Affordable housing (3)

Tony Devenish: How many homes from the 2016-23 Affordable Homes Programme will be started in the current financial year?

The Mayor: Following a good performance for the year to March 2021 in the face of challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, my housing team is reviewing projects with partners in order to confirm remaining profiles of homes to be built through the affordable homes programme from the current financial year onwards. It is expected that this will be concluded by the end of June 2021, at which point starts expected to the end of March 2022 will be confirmed.

London Legacy Development Corporation fixed estate charge

Siân Berry: Does the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) fixed estate charge impact residents in affordable tenures and, if so, is it accounted for when calculating affordability?

The Mayor: The Fixed Estate Charge applies to all affordable tenures/units and this is taken into account by the Developer Partners when assessing the affordability on relevant tenures.
However, there is a reduced rate for some types of affordable tenures and for those in social rent properties, the FEC is paid for by the Housing Association rather than the resident.

Move-on accommodation (2)

Tony Devenish: Further to MQ 2021/1211, will the entirety of the unallocated £535m be spent on move-on accommodation? If not, what else will this money be funding?

The Mayor: The £535m referenced in MQ 2021/1211 refers to the amount of headroom that was available at that time in the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-23. This will be allocated in line with the objectives of the programme, as set out in the funding guidance, namely for the delivery of affordable housing.
The £50m Move-On Programme forms part of the overall £4.82bn settlement, leaving £4.77bn for the AHP 2016-23. Move-On is excluded from the £535m headroom noted in MQ 2021/1211.
With two years remaining in the current AHP 2016-23 programme, the headroom will be used to make allocations to new proposals and projects and maintain housing delivery.

Move-on accommodation (1)

Tony Devenish: You stated in response to MQ 2021/1211 that the £535m unallocated funds from the 2016-23 Affordable Housing Programme have been earmarked for move-on accommodation. How many move-on homes do you intend to deliver with this funding, and in what timeframe?

The Mayor: The £535m referenced in MQ 2021/1211 refers to the amount of headroom that was available at that time in the Affordable Homes Programme 2016-23. The £50m Move On Programme is not part of the £535m headroom noted in MQ 2021/1211.
The Move On Programme, which is to accommodate households moving on from hostels or refuges, is for starts on site by 31 March 2022. Funding has so far been allocated to support the delivery of around 570 homes for around 600 households. There is headroom in the programme, so the total number of homes to be delivered through the programme will be significantly higher than this.

Night Time Economy Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets have been set for your Night Czar in your second term as Mayor?

The Mayor: London’s night time economy has been devasted by the pandemic, but with the right support, it can lead the city’s recovery.
The work of my Night Czar and City Hall's 24-Hour London team will be at the centre of my efforts to continue to support London’s growth as a 24 hour city and ensure the capital’s economy and communities thrive from 6pm to 6am.
My Night Czar is focussed on recovery and chairs the High Street Reopening Coordination Group. She is working with key industry leaders to support the Let’s Do London campaign to attract domestic visitors to enjoy the capital safely and bring central London’s economy back to life. During my second term, my Night Czar will focus on supporting London’s life at night, and will work to protect central London’s unique eco-system of hospitality and world-leading cultural venues which are key to boosting our economy.

High Streets Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets have you set for supporting London’s high streets over the next three years?

The Mayor: My Regeneration team is currently working closely with other policy units across the organisation to confirm and consolidate targets for new programmes coming online, such as the High Streets for All Challenge. As part of the High Street for All mission, I committed to having an exemplar project in every London borough by 2025 and increase the number of high streets and town centres which have a strategy in place to support their resilience.
Other performance indicators are being developed that will track the delivery of programme ambitions to support a range of diverse partners to bring vacant and underused buildings and public spaces into productive use; promote local employment, protect existing community and cultural spaces and introduce new types of community businesses, civic and cultural organisations to the high street.

Living Wage Targets

Neil Garratt: What targets have you set for the number of living wage employers to increase in London for each year of this mayoral term?

The Mayor: I am calling on all employers in London to do the right thing by paying the London Living Wage. Great progress has been made since 2016. Over 2,200 employers headquartered in London are now Living Wage accredited, a figure that has more than doubled since I became Mayor.
I have committed to working with the Living Wage Foundation to make London a Living Wage City Region over my second term. This programme will bring together employers, community groups, workers, boroughs, major public institutions and more to further the Living Wage campaign in the city. It is envisaged that the programme’s Steering Group will establish annual targets and action plans for increasing the uptake of the real London Living Wage. I will also continue to promote and develop my Good Work Standard, which places the Living Wage at its heart, to ensure it models best employment practice during London’s economy recovery from the pandemic.

Londoners suffering with long COVID

Caroline Russell: According to the latest research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), an estimated 1.65 per cent of people in London (144,000 people) were living with the symptoms of long COVID in the four-week period ending 6 March 2021. Could you outline how the London Recovery Programme is taking account of this growing challenge, both in terms of responding to the healthcare needs of Londoners suffering with long COVID and the secondary effects on issues such as sick leave and employment?

The Mayor: In my role as Chair of the London Health Board, I am working with my colleagues in the NHS who are providing 17 specialist ‘long COVID’ assessment services across London, a key part of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s 5 point plan which provides support for patients experiencing the long-term effects of COVID-19. For the estimated 51,000 Londoners predicted to come for assessment, the services include physical, mental and cognitive health assessment and a pan-London pathway for children and young people.
Long COVID’s debilitating effects have wide-reaching consequences for both the individual and our wider society and economy so it is only right this is reflected within our Recovery Missions, particularly related to Good Work, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Robust Safety Net and Young People. I will ask for an assessment of the relevant impacts for the Recovery Board to consider at an appropriate time.

Women’s Night Safety charter

Caroline Russell: Since you and the Night Czar launched the Women’s Night Safety charter in 2017, how have you measured its success and impact in the community, beyond voluntary signups from businesses in the night time economy?

The Mayor: I am committed to taking action to improve safety for women at day and night and that includes urging organisations across London to get behind the Women’s Night Safety Charter. To date, over 450 organisations and venues have signed up to the Charter.
My Night Czar has hosted three Women’s Night Safety Summits at City Hall, attended by signatories, where they reported on progress made on meeting the pledges, exchanged examples of impact and case studies, and shared best practice.
We’ll be building on the success of the Charter over the coming year and continue to recruit signatories and build on the engagement to develop opportunities, including training, resources and knowledge sharing events.

Affordable housing (2)

Tony Devenish: How many GLA-funded affordable homes will you be starting in financial years 2022/23 and 2023/24?

The Mayor: Following a good performance for the year to March 2021 in the face of challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, my housing team is reviewing projects with partners in order to confirm remaining profiles of homes to be built through my affordable homes programme in the coming years. It is expected that this will be concluded at the end of June 2021, following which provisional delivery for 2022-23 will be confirmed.
For 2023-24, the team is in the process of assessing bids for the AHP 2021-26 programme and further information regarding delivery will be noted when partners are in contract for the new programme. The contracting process is expected to commence in the autumn of this year.

Londoners suffering with long COVID (2)

Caroline Russell: The latest research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on long COVID reveals that it is much more common among more deprived groups. What more can be done through your Health Inequalities Strategy and the London Recovery Programme to ensure that Londoners who are already at a socioeconomic disadvantage do not have this disadvantage compounded by future hardship as a result of long COVID?

The Mayor: Long COVID’s debilitating effects have wide-reaching consequences for both the individual and our wider society and economy but these effects are not evenly distributed. It is therefore only right this is reflected within our Recovery Missions, particularly those of Good Work, Mental Health & Wellbeing, Robust Safety Net and Young People.
As Chair of both the London Recovery Board and London Health Board, I will ask for a preliminary assessment of the anticipated impacts of Long COVID so we can work with partners across London to ensure appropriate action within both the relevant Missions and my Health Inequalities Strategy Implementation Plan which is currently under review.
NHS colleagues have undertaken equality health impact assessments for the implementation plan of Long COVID services and will use proactive case finding in those communities least likely to access treatment. In addition, they will monitor key demographic data on patients accessing Long COVID services to monitor equitable access.

Motorcycle Parking at The Crystal (2)

Keith Prince: Given the benefits in terms of reducing congestion and pollution that powered two wheelers offer London, why has your London Plan been drafted in such a way as to prohibit motorcycle parking provision at the Crystal?

The Mayor: I have previously responded to a similar question regarding motorcycles and emissions and congestion; please see my response toMayor’s Question 2021/1334. As highlighted in that response, the congestion and emissions benefits of motorcycles are limited by a number of factors.
Reductions in the use of cars and motorcycles helps to create safer and more pleasant environments for walking and cycling and frees up capacity on the roads for buses, increasing public transport reliability. The Crystal is in an inner London Opportunity Area, where the maximum car and motorcycle parking standards for new development are set at a low level. This helps to make the best use of land in Opportunity Areas, where the opportunities for growth are greatest, as well as helping to minimise impacts of development on congestion, including during the morning and evening peaks when streets are most busy.

UN COP26 summit in November 2021

Zack Polanski: In November, the UK will be hosting the United Nations COP26 summit. Do you plan personally to take part in the conference? If so, what engagements or commitments are planned?

The Mayor: The COP26 summit will focus on committing nations to emission reductions, whilst in London I have set out my ambition for London to reach net zero by 2030. As such I intend to take part in COP26 to highlight the vital role that London and cities can play in tackling climate change, whether that be in person or virtually, depending on government and the organisers’ advice. A programme of engagements is being worked up with our national and international partners.
As well as the conference in Glasgow, we will continue to work with our stakeholders and partners in London in the lead up to COP26 to build as much momentum ahead of the conference as possible. I will use these opportunities to highlight where London requires funding and powers from government to enable us to reach our climate ambitions, but also where London is leading the way

Removal of mooring spots from the River Lea

Zack Polanski: A constituent has written to me concerned that the Canal and River Trust (CRT) is removing 550 mooring spots for houseboats from the River Lea by creating ‘water safety zones’. Are you aware of this change, and what actions will you take to defend the rights of people using these mooring spots to have an affordable home in London?

The Mayor: These proposed Water Safety Zones are emerging from CRT’s London Mooring Strategy, which my London Plan refers to. The zones are expected to reduce safety risks as the river has become busier with a range of different users. According to the CRT, sufficient mooring space will remain within these zones to accommodate currently moored boats, and further engagement will now take place before they will be trialled. My officers are also in discussions with the CRT in the context of London Plan policies, which highlight that moorings and moored boats are an integral part of the character of the waterways and explicitly recognise the Londoners living on boats.

Resilience

Nicholas Rogers: The City Resilience Strategy was published in February 2020, weeks before the city went into full lockdown. How well does the Mayor feel the Strategy withstood contact with a genuine, real-world crisis?

The Mayor: London agencies are using the flexible arrangements of the London Resilience Strategic Coordination Protocol to develop the response toCovid-19,by contrast, the City Resilience Strategy is tool to ensure that the capital continues to prepare to withstand and adapt to future challenges.
The City Resilience Strategy was designed to enhance the resilience of London to long-term stresses across many different risks. The intention is to integrate resilience into London’s systems and processes at every level.
The Strategy proposes a series of projects to improve resilience in the face of risks such as climate change, terrorism, and other disruptive events. The projects will build resilience across areas such as community, infrastructure, environment and wellbeing.
TheCOVID-19pandemic has underlined the critical need for long-term, cross-cutting resilience across all sectors and communities in London, and for different risks.

Waking Watch Relief Fund and London (2)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings in London have been successful in their application to the Waking Watch Relief Fund? Please provide a borough by borough breakdown.

The Mayor: Applications are currently being assessed and clarifications and corrections sought from applicants. No funding approvals for specific buildings have yet been made.

Progress on Fuel Poverty Action Plan

Leonie Cooper: Please provide an update on progress against each of the actions set out on pages 6 and 7 of your Fuel Poverty Action Plan for London.

The Mayor: Fuel Poverty Action Plan: Update May 2021

The Mayor will build on current initiatives to design and implement a world-class homes energy efficiency programme which will: Earmark over £10m over four years (2017/18 – 2020/21) for new energy efficiency delivery programmes (this money will be split between action to drive carbon reduction, and to support fuel poverty reduction). This includes the Mayor’s Warmer Homes scheme, launched in January 2018, which will provide heating and insulation improvements for up to a thousand fuel poor households by 2020. Initially for owner occupiers, a trial expansion will take place for private tenants from summer 2018
Update: The first two rounds of Warmer Homes were allocated a total of £9.26m. Delivery has been delayed by the pandemic however by autumn 2021 the programme is expected to have made improvements to 2,345 homes, subject to the impacts of COVID. I have also secured a further £9.45m through the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery scheme phase one, which will enhance Warmer Homes delivery and include social housing. Warmer Homes was extended to private tenants in autumn 2018 and remains open to them.
Provide a Fuel Poverty Support Fund of up to £500k over four years (2017/18 – 2020/21) to support the roll out of local advice and referral networks, including home visiting services, as a way of helping to improve the living conditions of fuel poor households. For the first phase, £250,000 of grant funding has been allocated to the boroughs of Croydon, Islington, Kingston and Lewisham to deliver a pan-London referral network
Update: For the second phase this was renamed the Warmer Homes Advice Service. Between February 2018 and March 2021, I provided £792k funding for the service. Over 9,700 households were supported across every single London borough. Over 300 referral partners were recruited to identify the fuel poor Londoners.
Deliver an energy supply company for London offering Londoners fairer energy tariffs by winter 2019/20
Update: I launched London Power in January 2020 to give Londoners access to energy that is always fair, always affordable, always green with excellent customer service. This includes no exit fees for plans, 100 per cent renewable electricity as standard, and automatic roll-over onto the cheapest similar tariff instead of a high-priced variable plan. Over 5,000 London households are already seeing the benefits of being customers. London Power advisors are trained to identify vulnerable customers and signpost them to additional support to help prevent debt and falling into fuel poverty.
Implement a programme to help Londoners, particularly the long-term ill and disabled, through ensuring that they are getting access to all of the income support they are entitled to, including Benefits Entitlement Checks
Update: The Warmer Homes Advice Service acts as a gateway to my fuel poverty programmes and has been able to sign up over 2,400 low income households to receive energy and/or water social tariffs, saving them up to £750,000 annually. I will commission a dedicated income maximisation service this year, alongside the Warmer Homes Advice Service which has been able to work with a variety of local services across London to access 699 benefit entitlement checks.
Target support to households in, or at risk of, fuel poverty, particularly vulnerable households, such as those with long-term illnesses or disabilities, as part of a wider effort to generate whole house retrofit
Update: The Warmer Homes Advice Service is an effective way of reaching those groups most at risk of fuel poverty, particularly as it works with over 300 referral partners. Of the households assisted by that service, 75 per cent had a long-term illness or disability. In addition, 17 per cent were households headed by single parents and 57 per cent were from BAME communities.
Create a new online database of landlords and letting agents who have been convicted of relevant criminal offences, the first phase of which was launched in autumn 2017

Update: I launched my Rogue Landlord and Agent Checker in 2017 to help renter report and avoid bad landlords. Since its launch, 2,500 records have been added to the system, over 3,700 reports have been made through the checker’s ‘report a rogue’ tool, andrecords have been viewed over 260,000 times.
Make available a new open-source pan-London Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data model in 2018, to help boroughs drive better long-term planning of interventions at a property level
Update: In 2018 I published my Energy Performance Certificate mapping tool and built on this in 2020 when I worked with University College London to create a London Building Stock Model (LBSM). This model is being used by the GLA and the boroughs to tackle fuel poverty and improve the energy efficiency of the capital’s housing stock. It also supports boroughs in their enforcement of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards by highlighting low EPC ratings.
Provide guidance and support to boroughs on how they can legally and responsibly use data to identify households in fuel poverty
Update: The London Building Stock Model provides useful data to boroughs on property characteristics and boroughs can combine this with data that they hold locally. Precise targeting of fuel poverty interventions in London requires access to personally identifiable and often sensitive data and there are many valid but significant hurdles to using this. I will continue to work with boroughs to investigate the most effective proxies.
The Mayor will also work with others to:
Establish a high-profile cross-sectoral Fuel Poverty Partnership in 2018 and appoint the Deputy Mayors for Environment and Energy, and Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement as Co-Chairs
Update: I established the Fuel Poverty Partnership in 2018, with wide representation from many stakeholders. It has provided useful guidance and support on a range of topics such as health sector engagement and in lobbying for protections for vulnerable energy consumers.
Support the rolling out of existing local authority and community advice and referral networks, as a way of helping to improve the living conditions of fuel poor households
Update: I have funded the Warmer Homes Advice Service since February 2018 and it has supported over 9,700 households in that time. Whilst led by the boroughs, they work with third sector providers such as Groundwork London, Thinking Works, South East London Community Energy, and the Charlton Athletic Community Trust to deliver the service.
Support local authorities to target enforcement efforts at the worst quality and most inefficient properties in London through the London Borough Private Rented Sector Partnership

Update: My Private Rented Sector Partnership brings together PRS leads from the 33 London boroughs to share intelligence and best practice and develop initiatives to improve standards and conditions for private renters. The Partnership has promoted priorities to tackle criminality and improve conditions in properties with the worst standards and conditions, including prioritising enforcement of Civil Penalties, enforcing MEES legislation and training officers to effectively assess and inspect hazards.
Support Gas Distribution Networks and other stakeholders to ensure gas connections targets are met in the capital, to support the significant number of homes using expensive electric heating
Update: My Warmer Homes Advice Service has worked with the two London Gas Distribution Networks to locate households suitable for connection to the gas mains and, where applicable, Warmer Homes grant applicants are being co-funded by the networks to connect their homes to the gas mains. Going forward I will be delivering more improvements less reliant on fossil fuels, in order that we can meet our decarbonisation targets whilst protecting the fuel poor.
Support an effective and inclusive smart meter rollout in London
Update: I’ve taken all steps within my power to accelerate an inclusive smart meter rollout in London, including promoting them through my energy supply company, and meeting with then Minister Claire Perry, BEIS officers, and energy companies. Despite making the case, the national rollout remains delayed and over budget. Through innovative projects like Home Response, I’m also piloting how smart meters may help provide better control of electrical heating systems, reducing Londoners’ bills and making their homes warmer.
Urge and work with clinical commissioners and Health and Wellbeing Boards to implement national public health guidelines on excess winter deaths and cold homes and in improving discharge procedures to address housing conditions

Update: I have been working closely with borough and NHS partners, particularly through the Fuel Poverty Partnership, to embed cold homes assessments into all relevant assessments. COVID has inevitably been a priority for the NHS this past year, however over the winter of 2019/20 information on my Warmer Homes services was distributed to a large number of community health settings across London. My Warmer Homes Advice Service also counts a significant number of health and social care services amongst its referral partners. The eligibility criteria for my Warmer Homes programme closely align with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance on excess winter deaths and illness.
Improve identification of vulnerable energy and water consumers and ensure that they are aware of support available to them.

Update: I have worked with energy networks, energy suppliers and water companies to ensure that we identify vulnerable Londoners and my Warmer Homes Advice Service has been a key tool in delivering this. UK Power Networks in particular jointly funded the service to locate vulnerable customers in boroughs with the highest rates of fuel poverty. The Advice Service has identified 3,819 households for inclusion in the energy and water sectors’ Priority Services Registers (vulnerable customer registers).
The Mayor will call on government to:
Develop fiscal incentives to increase the uptake of solid wall insulation
Update: I have consistently made the case to the government that it urgently needs to increase the number of buildings retrofitted with energy efficiency measures, and that this must include hard to treat homes, which make up a significant proportion of our housing stock in London. In my response to Government’s clean growth transforming heating response, I called for Government to introduce a target of 70% of homes reaching EPC C (or equivalent) by 2030, accompanied by a suite of appropriate support measures to realise this target.
Urgently review the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations to remove exemptions and ensure that a greater number of properties can be remediated
Update: I have called on government to urgently review the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations to reduce the number of exemptions available to private landlords in order to simplify and therefore maximise compliance. I responded to a government consultation on Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in January 2021 and gave my full support to proposals to ensure that all privately-rented homes reach an Energy Efficiency Rating of C by 2028 and for a higher cost cap to be instated so that more London homes would be improved. I also called for all exemptions to be removed or simplified and for greater guidance and funding for local authority environmental health teams to deliver these improvements.
Devolve to him responsibility for considering and approving selective licensing schemes for private rented homes

Update: I am a firm supporter of London-wide property licensing and believe well designed and operated licensing schemes can improve standards and conditions for London’s private renter. I am continuing to call on Government to devolve these powers and my team continues to meet with officials to discuss this to ensure that property licensing is more consistent across London.
Devolve ECO funds for the Mayor to disburse including through his Energy for Londoners energy efficiency programmes
Update: I have repeatedly made the case for ECO to be devolved to me in a similar manner to the powers available to Scottish Ministers. It is a travesty that London receives little more than a third of the money we put into the ECO pot and only devolution would address this. I am pleased that under the allocation of the second phase of the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery fund London has been allocated £27.6m of the £300m available, but this is far short of the £45m that our share of the population would merit. I will continue to make the case for London’s fair share of ECO and other funds available.
Enhance the current voluntary arrangements for households in fuel debt by making it a licence condition that vulnerable households are not disconnected and are offered a range of debt management options. This will ensure indebted customers of both established and newer energy suppliers receive the same degree of support.
Update: After lobbying by myself and other Fuel Poverty Partnership members Ofgem, the regulator, tightened licence conditions in December 2020 to put customers in debt on realistic and sustainable repayment plans. Vulnerable customers may also not be disconnected during the winter months if they are on their supplier’s Priority Services Register and we are working with energy companies to ensure that as many as possible vulnerable customers are added to that register.
Improve regulatory safeguards to protect against the negative consequences of “self-disconnection”, where low income households lack credit to put on their prepayment meters.
Update: After lobbying by myself and other Fuel Poverty Partnership members Ofgem introduced a set of safeguards in December 2020 for prepayment meter users. Suppliers are now required to identify prepayment meter users who are self-disconnecting and to offer short-term support through emergency and friendly-hours credit. They are also required to offer additional support credit to prepayment meter users in vulnerable situations who have self-disconnected or self-rationed their energy use.

Co-ordinating Youth Activities and Opportunities Across London

Caroline Pidgeon: There are many valuable youth projects across London, but many of these are small scale or struggle with access to funding. Will you look at working with boroughs and others to establish a central organising body for after school youth activities and opportunities across London, which can not only organise and promote youth activities but also support community groups, schools and other organisations to access funding and promote and advertise the work they are doing?

The Mayor: I am committed to supporting young people and ensuring they have access to the wealth of opportunities offered by London’s youth providers. Through my £45m Young Londoners Fund, I have funded over 300 projects which so far have supported over 89,000 young people. The Young Londoners Fund offers a suite of support, networking and training, including access to Our London Map where organisations can promote their activities, and Local Networks which work across London and help organisations supporting young people to work collaboratively and share best practice.
The London Recovery Board brings together leaders from various sectors across London to oversee the city’s long-term recovery from the pandemic. The New Deal for Young People mission will support all young people, especially those facing the greatest barriers to realising their potential. The mission aims to align funding and resources, including through a new collaborative Young Peoples Fund, to provide place-based access to youth provision and to support personalised mentoring and other tailored interventions for young people.

Peckham Coal Line

Elly Baker: Please provide details of all funding provided by the GLA to the Peckham Coal Line.

The Mayor: In 2015, under the previous Mayor, the GLA provided the Peckham Coal Line group £10,000 of match funding towards feasibility work, totalling £75,757 in value, exploring the transformation of 900m of disused railway line into new park connecting Peckham’s neighbourhoods via new walking and cycling routes.
In 2020, I awarded the Peckham Coal Line £50,000 of development funding from my Good Growth Fund to contribute to the next stage of development, focussing on the Bidwell Street area. This is currently being implemented by the Peckham Coal Line team.

London and the BSF (2)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings in London have had their applications presented before Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) in order to be assessed for funding through the Building Safety Fund?

The Mayor: As of 19 May 2021, 23 completed Building Safety Fund applications administered by the GLA in London have been presented to MHCLG for a funding decision.

Unbuilt homes

Andrew Boff: How many homes in London currently have planning permission and are waiting to be built?

The Mayor: The number of unbuilt homes in the development pipeline, as reported in London Plan Annual Monitoring report 16 was 305,289 as at 31 March 2019.
A dashboard showing the number of unbuilt homes in the pipeline drawing data directly from the London Datahub is currently in development. This dashboard will be added to our website soon, providing greater transparency on the pipeline of housing in London.

Air quality in planning

Onkar Sahota: I was very pleased with Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe’s guidance for councils around how to ensure proper air quality monitoring around new developments. Can I ask what work has been done to work with local councils, to ensure that they are doing proper air quality monitoring of new developments?

The Mayor: Under the London Local Air Quality Management framework, all local authorities are required to report at least once a year on pollutants of greatest concern to the health of Londoners. These reports review the results of local air quality monitoring, as well as any major developments and permitted industrial installations, that may have a significant impact on local air quality.
I also provide guidance to local councils that supports a consistent approach to the assessment and appraisal of potential air quality impacts associated with proposed development. Furthermore, the Control of Dust and Emissions during Construction and Demolition SPG supports the monitoring of dust, particulate and other emissions during all phases of construction.
A review of the Control of Dust and Emissions During Construction and Demolition SPG is scheduled to commence in 2022 to incorporate changes to the Non-Road Mobile Machinery Low Emission Zone indicated in my London Environment Strategy, which includes progressively tightening emissions standards to Stage IV throughout London from 2025; Stage V by 2030 and zero emissions by 2040. Other measures in the guidance will also be reviewed at that time.

Planning that works for people

Onkar Sahota: We all know that it is vital we build more affordable homes in London – however it is also important that these developments have the necessary services – transport, healthcare, schools, open space – to accommodate any increase in local population. How will you use your powers, and work with local councils, to ensure that plans for house building in London are done in a way that works for residents and serves local communities?

The Mayor: I agree that it is essential to deliver new housing, including affordable housing, alongside the infrastructure needed to support the communities that it will house. This is why the policies of my new London Plan – against which planning decisions are made - have been underpinned by the clear objectives of ‘Good Growth’. This is not growth at all costs, but growth that is socially and economically inclusive and environmentally sustainable. This is embedded throughout the detailed policies in the plan covering a range of infrastructure provision and also through Policy DF1 Delivery of the Plan and Planning Obligations. Through planning obligations and other contributions, new development must mitigate its impacts and can provide facilities and improvements to the area that can be enjoyed by new residents as well as existing communities.
I will also continue to work with boroughs to ensure that the need for physical and social infrastructure is addressed through borough Local Plans, helping to ensure that development provides socially integrated, healthy environments and open spaces, that will continue to ensure London is an attractive place to live. Where significant change is planned, for example Opportunity Areas, collaborative working with boroughs ensures that infrastructure needs are understood and properly planned for.

Health Inequalities Strategy

Onkar Sahota: In what way are you reviewing your health inequalities strategy in light of Covid-19 and when will the outcome of this review be made public?

The Mayor: COVID-19 has shone a clear light on the health inequalities which blight our city. It has demonstrated how the circumstances of different people's lives can substantially increase the risk of poor health. I am committed, as are our partners, to taking action to tackle this.
The strategy was developed with a solid evidence base, and with considerable consultation. While we know a lot about how the pandemic has affected Londoners, in some ways it is early days. For example, we are yet to see the full impact on employment, an important determinant of health.
I will work with my health advisors, Professor Fenton and Dr Coffey, to develop a refreshed Implementation Plan for the HIS, to support action on health inequalities, including in recovery. I will keep Assembly colleagues updated as this plan develops.

Wellbeing Station

Onkar Sahota: Where on the TfL network will your pilot wellbeing station be and how many people do you expect to use it?

The Mayor: Analysis of relevant data and insights will need to be undertaken to identify the most appropriate pilot sites for new wellbeing stations. Pilots will be delivered in partnership with local health services and public health teams to ensure local insight is incorporated. This will include consideration of areas with high levels of health inequality, specifically obesity, along with considering how to reach the greatest numbers of TfL network users.

Water Only Schools

Onkar Sahota: What conversations are you having with boroughs and schools about becoming “water only”?

The Mayor: My Health Team in partnership with Public Health England London and my Child Obesity Taskforce produced a water-only toolkit for primary schools that I originally launched prior to the first lockdown in February 2020. My Healthy Schools London programme has promoted the toolkit directly with London’s primary schools as well as via Local Authority Directors of Public Health and Healthy Schools Leads.
The toolkit was recently updated in light of COVID with additional guidance on the safe provision of water at school. This is available on my Healthy Schools London website. My Mayoral Health Adviser, Dr. Tom Coffey, held a water only schools roundtable with schools and Local Authorities in October 2020 to steer the future direction of the programme and identify appropriate timings for schools with the ongoing disruption caused by the pandemic.
I restated my commitment to expanding the number of water only schools in London in my manifesto, and will continue to engage with Local Authorities and schools on this important issue.

Mental Health Impact from the Pandemic

Onkar Sahota: The mental health impact of the pandemic on Londoners has been widely acknowledged, with certain groups having been shown to be disproportionately affected, including children and young people and people with mental and physical disabilities and/or conditions. Have you reassessed or revaluated any of the objectives of the Health Inequalities Strategy in light of this, and how do you plan to make sure mental health is at the heart of your broader COVID-19 Recovery Programme?

The Mayor: COVID-19 has shone a clear light on some of the health inequalities affecting our city. The Health Inequalities Strategy was developed with a solid evidence base, and with considerable consultation. While we know a lot about how the pandemic has affected Londoners, in some ways it is early days. I will work with my health advisors, Professor Fenton and Dr Coffey, to develop a refreshed Implementation Plan for the HIS, to support action on health inequalities, including in recovery.
Through initial public consultation, mental health and wellbeing were the priority health issue for Londoners when thinking about long-term recovery from the pandemic. In response to this, one of our nine recovery missions is focussed on mental health and wellbeing. Improving the health and wellbeing of all Londoners is a cross cutting principle for the whole programme, ensuring all our missions consider this in the work they do.

Learning from Grenfell (3)

Sem Moema: Section D12 in the new London Plan states that developers should consider how buildings ‘are constructed in an appropriate way to minimise the risk of fire spread.’ This is different to inhibiting the spread of fire. How will you ensure that this is not manipulated by developers to allow the use of flammable materials in construction as happened at Grenfell?

The Mayor: The Building Regulations and Approved Documents are the current legal framework in place to ensure the safety of buildings in this country. My London Plan builds on this legal framework so at the planning application stage, developers ensure the construction method, materials and way the building is intended to be used or occupied, minimise the spread of fire. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry along with the Hackitt Review, have shown that the building industry and regulatory regime needs wholesale change. A change of culture is needed across the board and this can only be accomplished with stronger legislation.

Learning from Grenfell (2)

Sem Moema: The funding guidance for Homes for Londoners states that “No combustible materials may be used in the external walls of all homes and buildings, regardless of their height.’ Is this enough to stop flammable insulation, such as that used at Grenfell, from being used in new affordable homes?

The Mayor: The ban on the use of combustible materials in new buildings funded under my new Affordable Homes Programme uses the same definitions as the Building Regulations, but extends the ban to buildings of all heights. As with the ban under the Building Regulations, the policy applies to the entire make-up of the external wall including the insulation.

Learning from Grenfell (1)

Sem Moema: The Grenfell Tower Inquiry phase 2 has highlighted how the flammable materials used at the Grenfell refurbishment contributed to the spread of the fire. Since 2005 Scottish building regulations have said that external wall features should ‘inhibit’ fire. How important is it that external wall features on buildings in London inhibit fire?

The Mayor: The evidence from Phase 2 of the Grenfell Inquiry has been shocking and coupled with the Hackitt Review, has revealed a building industry and regulatory system in need of wholesale change. I note the slight difference in wording in the Scottish Building Regulations compared to the English Building Regulations. I have long called for a complete ban on combustible materials in the external walls of buildings of any height and type. When responding to the Government consultation on banning the use of combustible materials in August 2018, I outlined the importance of a total ban and highlighted how it would provide a strong regulatory basis for a shift away from the use of combustibles. I remain disappointed that the Government have only banned the use of combustible materials in residential buildings over 18m in height.

Better Renting programme

Sem Moema: What progress has been made on the development of your Better Renting programme? Have you identified a date when the programme will be launched?

The Mayor: The Better Renting project launched in May 2020. It was developed in conjunction with my Private Rented Sector Partnership with boroughs in response to a shortage of appropriately-skilled staff across London to enforce against rogue landlords and letting agents.
Since its launch, over 200 local authority staff have attended upskilling training on key topics including tenancy sustainment, housing legislation and rent-to-rent scams. Six good practice forum sessions have also been delivered to local authority staff, covering key topics to improve standards in the private rented sector. A third strand of the Better Renting programme – developing a new qualification for practitioners - is underway and my team are working to procure a learning provider to deliver the course. I have also partnered with Safer Renting to roll out training for Metropolitan Police officers on how to deal with illegal evictions. So far 5,320 officers have received this training.

Building safety in the North East constituency

Sem Moema: The North East constituency has 8% of London’s registrations to the Building Safety Fund across England and 15% of the waking watches in place in London (as of March 2021). How are you working with Hackney, Islington and Waltham Forest councils to keep my constituents safe and to support councils in taking action?

The Mayor: Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2021/1773.

London Growth Hub

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to promote the London Growth Hub over your second term?

The Mayor: We have been actively promoting London’s Growth Hub – now named the London Business Hub - since its relaunch in September 2020, growing and developing our online presence to increase engagement and awareness of our business support offer. Our social media channels have achieved over 22 million impressions over the Hub’s lifetime and we continue to build on this through targeted campaigns aimed at harder to reach business owners.
We are continuing to develop the new London Business Hub website to ensure it meets our businesses’ requirements. Since September, the website has had 105,000 unique users. Around 7,000 businesses have become members and almost 9,000 businesses and business bodies receive our monthly newsletters which contain the latest information on our business support programmes.
My team are also regularly engaging with over 200 London stakeholders and partners to ensure content is disseminated to all groups through their communication channels.

Proposed Syon Lane development in Hounslow

Nicholas Rogers: In view of your manifesto pledge to “not shy away from opposing tall buildings that do not enhance London’s skyline or provide little social or economic benefit”, will you listen to the concerns of over 4,000 local residents, and direct Hounslow Council to refuse planning permission for the excessive and harmful 17-storey development at Homebase and Tesco on Syon Lane?

The Mayor: As this is a current planning application for which I am likely to be the decision-maker, I cannot comment on the merits of the case or express a view on the heights of the proposed buildings. This application will be assessed against the policies in both my London Plan and Hounslow’s local plan and, as part of the stage 2 referral, all comments received by the local planning authority are sent to the GLA to be considered as part of the decision making process.

Waking Watch Relief Fund and London (1)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings In London applied to receive funding from the Waking Watch Relief Fund? Please provide a borough by borough breakdown

The Mayor: The GLA has received 110 Waking Watch Relief Fund applications as at 19 May 2021. Some applications comprise of more than one building where a common fire alarm system is being installed across multiple blocks/ buildings.
The GLA does not publish borough breakdowns of unsafe buildings because the low number in some London boroughs may compromise the anonymity of some buildings with potential impacts on resident safety.

Lunchtime Streets

Elly Baker: What funding, if any, have you provided to support Lunchtime Streets in London?

The Mayor: TheHigh Street Reopening Coordination Groupwas formedtoaddress challenges across London high streets, including providing a forum for key stakeholders to convene and knowledge share about their approaches tooutdoor hospitality.Guidance published on the London Business Hub also setsout how local authorities and business should work together to help hospitality venues trade safely using outside spaces.
My business support programmes, including Pay It Forward London and myBack to Businessfund,have provided funding directly to businesses, including to enable socially distanced trading.
The Recovery Programme has identified High street revival as one of the nine missions to be supported as part of London’s recovery. To that effect, the High Streets for All mission sets out a range of actions that London government will prioritiseincluding the High Street ChallengeFund to help high streets develop strategies for their renewal.

International Centre for Creative Industries Target Date

Neil Garratt: What is your target date to bring an international centre for creative industries to London?

The Mayor: London’s culture and creative industries contributed £58bn and 1 in 6 jobs in 2018. Creative industries were the fastest growing part of the economy pre-Covid and will play a key role in the capital’s economic recovery. I support exploring a new International Centre for Creative Industries in London to promote the capital’s international competitiveness and address the need for dedicated space to support London as global leader for trade events. There is currently no date set to bring a centre to London.

London’s high streets

Marina Ahmad: How will you support London’s high streets over your second term?

The Mayor: My newLondon Planprovides a supportive planning policy framework to help high streets to recover by promoting their health, vitality and viability and supporting their adaptation and diversification. The Plan supports the preparation of locally tailored town centre strategies through local partnerships.High street recovery and renewal is also supported by my transport, economic development, environment, culture and social integration strategies.
The High Streets for All Mission is one of nine missions developed in partnership with London Councils and adopted by the London Recovery Board.
Through this mission, I am working alongside a range of diverse partners tofoster a culture of ideas, collaboration and invention in order to bring vacant and underused buildings into productive use; promote local employment, protect existing communityand cultural spaces and introducenew types of businesses and civicorganisations.
Funds have been awarded through myGood Growth fund and as part of the Government’s Getting Building Fund to regenerate high streets across London but I will continue to make the case to the Government for a fair share of investment in London’s high streets and town centres. I have also launched the Make London Programme to support creative community-led ideas and the High Streets for All Challenge to invite and support local partnerships to respond to the challenges faced by high streets, by developing innovative strategies and proposals for renewal.

Meeting with Leaseholder Groups (1)

Unmesh Desai: How many times have you, the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience or the Building Safety Team met with London’s leaseholder groups? Please provide a month-by-month breakdown from July 2017 to present, stating which leaseholder groups were met with in each month.

The Mayor: There has been regular engagement with leasehold groups over the years since Grenfell. Prior to the pandemic, I joined cladding campaigners for a rally outside parliament. My previous and current Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development have met with leaseholder groups on a regular basis to make sure that their concerns are heard and factored into our work on building safety. The Building Safety Team also liaises with leaseholder groups regularly.

Dropping Out of School

Tony Devenish: It is reported that 20,000 children in the UK have dropped out of school during lockdown. What is the figure for London and what have you done to investigate ways of reversing this worrying trend?

The Mayor: Research conducted by The Association of Directors of Children’s Services (ADCS), published in November 2020 shows that on 1 October 2020 an estimated 75,668 children and young people were electively home educated (EHE) across England. This represents an increase of 38 per cent from a year earlier, around 20,000 children.
Twenty-nine London local authorities responded to the survey and reported a total of 7,231 EHE children and young people. This was the second lowest regional average rate per responding local authority.
Isupport the introduction of mandatory registration and monitoring for home educated children. Back in 2018, my Deputy Mayor for Policing, Sophie Linden, wrote to the Department for Education in response to their call for evidence on Elective Home Education stating this. Like ADCS my position has not changed. The Government should establish a mandatory register of all electively home educated children together with proper monitoring to ensure EHE children receive the full education they are entitled to by law and are protected from any safeguarding issues.

Mapping Young London

Tony Devenish: What actions are you taking in response to the Partnership for Young London’s “Mapping Young London” report?

The Mayor: My team is analysing this important report, the largest survey of young Londoners during the pandemic. It offers valuable insights on the concerns of young Londoners on jobs and mental health, many of which are recognised in my manifesto pledges, the London Recovery Board missions and my current delivery. I recently launched my £32 million Good Work for All Fund, to provide skills and employability support for Londoners aged 19 and above and the London Enterprise Adviser Network works with over 550 secondary schools and colleges to continue to help young Londoners most in need to access job opportunities and careers support. Improving the health and wellbeing of all Londoners is across cuttingprinciple for thewhole recovery programme, ensuring all our missionsconsider thisin the work they do. I am also investing in rolling out mental health first aid training across London’s schools and will work with the NHS to ensure every London school and young person’s setting has a mental health worker.

Central Government’s Role in helping London Drive Recovery

Tony Devenish: What have you learnt from London First’s “Central Government’s Role in helping London Drive Recovery” report and how will you build bridges with Central Government to support London’s recovery?

The Mayor: London First’s report is an important contribution to understanding the impact of the Pandemic on London’s economy. It sets out a strong case for government support for the capital. I welcome the focus on bringing people back in central London, long-term financial support for TfL and supporting skill development.
I’ve been clear that there is a tremendous amount we can do, working with partners, to support London’s recovery. But we don’t have all the levers. That’s why it’s so important that we put politics aside wherever we can and work with the Government to really drive our recovery forward.

Community engagement after developments are referred to the Mayor

Siân Berry: A constituent has raised an issue with the fact that, while developers are obliged to carry out community engagement, this is only during the design evolution process prior to planning submissions. When schemes are called in by your office, this process inevitably leads to further design evolution without guaranteed public involvement. What assurances will you give that community engagement will significantly improve during these processes of design evolution led by your planning and viability teams?

The Mayor: My London Plan published in March sets out my approach to Good Growth and I’m committed to fully implementing Policy GG1, which focuses on early and inclusive engagement in planning. Officers are currently working on an enhanced engagement strategy for planning which will include guidance for developers on how they should engage with the community on called in applications.

Mortlake Brewery Community Group

Siân Berry: Will you meet with members of the Mortlake Brewery Community Group to discuss their proposals for redeveloping the site at Mortlake Brewery, before making your Stage 2 referral decision?

The Mayor: I will likely be the decision-maker on this called-in planning application, so in order not to prejudice my formal consideration of the application I will not be able to meet local residents. I should add that I am duty bound to only consider the proposals that are the subject of this application and cannot consider alternative schemes put forward.

Mind in London Manifesto

Tony Devenish: What actions will you be taking in response to the Mind in London Manifesto during this Mayoral term?

The Mayor: COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the wellbeing of Londoners; it has widened existing inequalities and shone a light on others. More Londoners will be likely to need additional mental health and wellbeing support as a result of the adverse economic and social circumstances exacerbated by the pandemic.
I have identified the importance of supporting Londoners’ mental health as crucial to our city’s recovery and doing so in collaboration with partners such as Mind in London will be key to this.
Through Thrive LDN, I am working with Mind in London to expand peer support offers in local areas for those with lived experience of mental ill health. Mind are also a key part of a project I have commissioned exploring how the VCS and statutory bodies in London responded during the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, how they worked collaboratively, what challenges they faced and the lessons learnt that can support effective partnerships into the future.

English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to support better access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) across London during your second term?

The Mayor: In 2019 I extended eligibility for Adult Education Budget (AEB) funded courses to learners in low-paid work. This policy unlocked opportunities to access ESOL for nearly 40,000 Londoners. This year I am increasing the amount of funding available for AEB courses at Level 2 and below, meaning the majority of ESOL provision in London will see a 10% boost in funding per learner.
I have commissioned an £80,000 peer research project to better understand barriers to accessing provision for disadvantaged learners, including communities with ESOL needs. This research and the learning from projects in my £200k ESOL Plus Pilot Programme and £17.3 million Skills for Londoners Innovation fund will help inform new policies for the AEB.
Through the Strategic Migration Partnership, I will play a strategic role working with partners to coordinate support for communities not eligible for the AEB, such as Hong Kong ‘British Nationals Overseas’ and people seeking asylum.

Meeting with Leaseholder Groups (2)

Unmesh Desai: There are 1877 high-rise buildings registered with the Building Safety Fund or ACM Remediation Funds. Through the meetings you, the Deputy Mayor for Fire and Resilience or the Building Safety team have had with leaseholders, do you think this number is an accurate estimate of the total number of buildings across London affected by dangerous cladding? Why do you think this?

The Mayor: London boroughs are working to identify all high-rise residential buildings in London with unsafe cladding. In addition to those buildings which have registered for the remediation funds, some developers have accepted responsibility for funding the remediation of their buildings. It should also be noted that the remediation funds only cover buildings over 18 metres.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (9)

Nicholas Rogers: How can a 13% increase in affordable housing on the Stag Brewery scheme, to get to just 30% in total, be justified via a massive 40% increase in the number of residential units from 800 to 1,250? How does this conform to the Mayor’s viability policies and processes, and your objective to increase the percentage of affordable homes in developments rather than see a reduction?

The Mayor: As this is a current planning application for which I am likely to be the decision-maker, I cannot comment on the merits of the case or express a view on the justification for the level of affordable housing, which in any case is still being considered by GLA officers. However, I think it is important to clarify the factual position. Whilst the applicant has increased the number of residential units from 800 to 1,250, other changes have been made to the scheme including removal of the nursing home and assisted living housing, as well as a reduction in 186 car parking spaces. As such the increase in the total floorspace of the development is 14%. Furthermore, the affordable housing percentage secured by Richmond Council was a range from 12-17%, with the maximum being dependent on the final Community Infrastructure Levy payment.

Permitted Development Rights (2)

Siân Berry: How will you support councils to protect their high streets from having retail outlets converted to housing under new Permitted Development Rights?

The Mayor: I am working with London Councils and Local Planning Authorities across the capital and with the High Streets for All Mission Co-ordination Group (part of the London Recovery Board governance structures) to ensure that the impacts of the Government’s new permitted development rights on London’s high streets are mitigated as far as possible.
I intend to produce a strategic evidence report which will provide support for councils seeking to introduce targeted Article 4 Directions to remove the new permitted development rights in London’s vibrant commercial, business and cultural areas, including the Central Activities Zone, the Northern Isle of Dogs, town centres and high street locations. This will complement the local evidence produced by individual councils for their areas.

Permitted Development Rights (1)

Siân Berry: What action are you taking to protect London from the worst aspect of new Permitted Development Rights, such as homes being created that have no energy efficiency measures, no minimum accessibility requirements and with no access to green space or to local amenities?

The Mayor: I set out my strong concerns about the new permitted development rights (PDR) in my recent response to the Government’s consultation on new Class E to residential PDR and in my evidence to the House of Commons Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee’s inquiry into permitted development.
I made clear my concerns that the rights do not provide good quality or affordable housing, or contribute to infrastructure delivery including accessible open space and urban greening. PDR also bypasses requirements for minimum onsite carbon reduction, locking in higher carbon emissions in the future.
I am working closely with London Councils on this matter and providing support to boroughs to introduce Article 4 Directions to remove these permitted development rights in targeted locations. This will help to ensure access to local amenities in London’s high streets and town centres and to safeguard our vibrant commercial and business districts and internationally important commercial agglomerations.

Modern methods of construction (2)

Sem Moema: Are you aware of any on-site modern methods of construction factories operating in London since May 2016? Furthermore, what steps can you take to encourage more on-site factories to be used by developers in the future?

The Mayor: I am not aware of any MMC factories operating in London. However, I am aware of examples of ‘pop-up’ factories – such as the Mace Tech factory in the East Village in Stratford, which supported construction of new homes last year.
My Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026 encourages GLA partners to adopt MMC on their developments. This new focus may indirectly support more use of on-site factories in the future, although not all projects will suit this method of construction. I have also asked my officers to look into City Hall backing for a new MMC factory or logistics hub in London.

City Hall Developer Pilot

Hina Bokhari: In your manifesto you committed to piloting a City Hall housing developer to build the affordable, good quality homes London so desperately needs. Please outline how the pilot will work and when it will be ready to launch.

The Mayor: My ambition in piloting a City Hall housing developer is to explore how City Hall can add to the delivery pipeline of affordable, good quality homes in London. My officers will commence exploring the options very soon, with consideration given to the best governance and funding arrangements for delivering on these objectives, as well as possible timing for launch.

Modern methods of construction (3)

Sem Moema: Are you aware of any modern methods of construction logistic hubs operating in London since May 2016? Furthermore, what steps can you take to encourage more logistic hubs to be used by developers in the future?

The Mayor: I am not aware of any construction logistics hubs currently operating in London.
Logistics hubs are typically managed on behalf of manufacturers and are usually based within or adjacent to existing MMC factories. I have asked my officers to look into what support City Hall may be able to provide for a potential logistics hub in London, including to consider whether there is sufficient demand for this type of facility among manufacturers and affordable housing developers.

Housing First Approach to Homelessness

Hina Bokhari: We know that having a home is often a starting point for resolving other complex needs for the most vulnerable in our society. Will you look at introducing a ‘Housing First’ approach to tackling homelessness in the capital, where access to housing is a right that is not subject to any other conditions?

The Mayor: I agree that a personalised response is needed to help those with the most complex needs on the streets.
Implementing Housing First at the scale needed for London would require investment from the Government or the pooling of finances across boroughs. The Government stated, when they funded three Housing First pilots outside London, that no further funding would be made available until these had been evaluated. Only an interim evaluation has so far been published. I will certainly be looking to access funding, should this become available.
In the meantime, I am very proud that my rough sleeping Social Impact Bond, which is working with 350 of London’s most entrenched rough sleepers, has succeeded in supporting 83% of them into accommodation since October 2017.

Youth Homelessness

Hina Bokhari: The pandemic has evidenced more clearly than ever that if the political desire is there we can prevent anyone from having to rough sleep on the streets of our city. This is particularly important for our city’s young people. With a growing crisis in youth homelessness in London will you guarantee to ensuring all young Londoners have access to shelter 24/7?

The Mayor: Regrettably, I do not have the resources to be able to make this guarantee – but am doing all I can with the resources available to me to support young homeless Londoners. Most recently, with London Councils, I jointly funded the capital’s first pan-London homelessness hub for young people who are sleeping rough, or at immediate risk of homelessness. Prior to this, we safely accommodated over 150 young people aged 18-25 as part of the GLA’s ‘Everyone In’ rough sleeping COVID-19 response, providing tailored support to this group. In addition, one of the aims of my £40m Homelessness Change and Platform for Life Programme is to fund accommodation for young people in employment, education or training at risk of homelessness. Furthermore, all donations from my rough sleeping campaign this winter have gone to charities working with homeless young people. The total amount raised to date is £74,869.94. Prevention is critical, but this needs Government action, including adequate funding to local authorities’ homelessness services.

Monitoring Unemployment Levels

Tony Devenish: How are you monitoring unemployment and youth unemployment levels across all London Boroughs (particularly in my constituency) to identify and support local areas with high levels of unemployment?

The Mayor: Tackling unemployment – especially for young people and others disproportionately affected by the pandemic – is a Mayoral priority and is central to the London Recovery Programme.
GLA Economics and the Intelligence Unit at the GLA routinely monitor unemployment and other labour market issues, regularly publishing data and analyses on the London Datastore.
I have also asked the policy, research and delivery teams leading the London Recovery Programme ‘missions’ to ensure they work with partners to collect or commission high‑quality evidence and data. A recent example is a London Councils’-commissioned research report that forecasts unemployment in London and identifies its impact on different groups and parts of London.
I have also established strong partnership structures to ensure that we receive practical and actionable intelligence from key organisations, including sub-regional partnerships, boroughs, Jobcentre Plus, colleges and employer organisations. This includes the Skills for Londoners Business Partnership, the Skills and Employment Support Working Group, and the London Recovery Board and its constituent taskforces.

Stag Brewery scheme, Mortlake (7)

Nicholas Rogers: Richmond Council’s local plan defines a tall building as six storeys or more, and its Supplementary Planning Guidance sets a maximum height of 7 storeys in this area. Meanwhile, policy D9 of your new London Plan, following direction by the Secretary of State, makes clear that tall buildings, as defined by the local authority, “should only be developed in locations that are identified as suitable in Development Plans”. Can you reassure local residents that you will respect these constraints, especially in view of your manifesto pledge to “not shy away from opposing tall buildings that do not enhance London’s skyline or provide little social or economic benefit”?

The Mayor: As I am likely to be the decision-maker in this case I cannot express a view about this matter in the context of the current planning application so as not to prejudice my formal decisions. GLA officers will assess the application against relevant planning policy and guidance, and prepare a report and recommendation which I will consider in due course. A public representation hearing will be held where the Council and local residents will have an opportunity to make verbal representations.

Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries Borough Meetings

Susan Hall: Following your answer to my question 2020/4753, please could you give a breakdown which Council leaders the Deputy Mayor for Culture and Creative Industries has met with since March 2020?

The Mayor: My Deputy Mayor for Culture and the Creative Industries Justine Simons OBE continues to meet with Council and senior leaders from across the capital.
Since March 2020, my Deputy has met with Lewisham and Croydon Council leaders to discuss plans for London Borough of Culture 2023 and 2024 respectively and Waltham Forest and Brent Council leaders to discuss Borough of Culture legacy plans. She has also met with Barking and Dagenham to progress the development of new film and TV facilities in Dagenham, which will create 1,200 jobs.
My Deputy has met with senior leadership in Westminster City Council and has joined Westminster City Council’s Recovery Task Force. She has met with the City of London and Camden to develop the re-activation campaign for the Central Activity Zone. In November, my Deputy and I met with Leader of Camden and Paul Scully MP, Minister of State for London.
My Deputy has regular meetings with the City of London Corporation’s Chair of Policy and Resources to discuss progress on the new Museum of London and the re-opening programme for the Central Activity Zone. In addition, my Deputy was a member of the Lord Mayor’s Culture and Commerce Taskforce.
As co-chair for my Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm, my Deputy Mayor held a meeting with 9 borough leaders and convened a Commission Borough Working Group which has cross party representation from 17 boroughs.
In addition, my Culture and Creative Industries Unit has held six meetings with borough culture officers with attendance from thirty boroughs.

A ‘tsunami’ of evictions

Sem Moema: On 10 July 2020 you called on the Housing Secretary to turn tide on ‘tsunami’ of evictions and suggested several things the Government should do. Will you publish the response you received at the time and provide an update on the current state of play regarding your asks of Government?

The Mayor: My team has shared the response I received from the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick, with your office, further to my various representations for further protections for renters during the Covid-19 pandemic.
As I set out in my response to MQ 2021/1483, my team continue to talk to government officials about the need for a financial support package for those who have built up arrears during the pandemic, improved access to welfare benefits and a two-year rent freeze in London. Unless these measures are put in place, I am concerned that many renters will face mounting arrears and possible eviction.

City Resilience Strategy

Nicholas Rogers: What plans does the Mayor have to review the City Resilience Strategy’s performance during the pandemic and to improve London’s resilience planning processes accordingly?

The Mayor: The City Resilience Strategy is in its early implementation phase. Projects outlined in the Strategy will enhance long-term resilience to the shocks and stresses faced by London, and build resilience across areas such as community, infrastructure and environment. This will help prepare London to be better able to manage and adapt to future challenges.
The City Resilience Strategy is complemented by the work of the London Resilience Partnership whose members include agencies with duties under the Civil Contingencies Act. The Partnership’s Strategy outlines work to develop capabilities that offer the best outcomes in an emergency. This includes planning and responding to any emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic.
The Partnership regularly reviews its process and has already started to review its coordination arrangements based on the experience of Covid-19. This is being done in the context of the Government’s developing a national resilience strategy and expected review the Civil Contingencies Act.

Rough Sleeping Accommodation Programme

Sem Moema: In October 2020 London was allocated £76.5 million for 904 homes and in March 2021 £66.4 million to deliver 704 homes. Can you confirm the delivery schedule for these homes and provide further details, such as the boroughs they will be located in and how many beds each home will have?

The Mayor: The vast majority of homes from that funding round will be delivered by 30 June 2021, with most of the remainder completing by the end of September 2021. Homes are being delivered across London. Over 80% are studio or one-bedroom homes, and the remainder are shared accommodation.
I have secured further funding of £66.4m for 2021-24, with a target to deliver 740 homes, most of which by 31 March 2022. A bidding round ran from 17 March to 7 May 2021, and bids are currently being assessed.

Modern methods of construction (1)

Sem Moema: What steps have you taken to support safe modern methods of construction in London? And what plans, if any, do you have to provide further support during your second term?

The Mayor: In my previous administration, I commissioned and launched the PRiSM design app. PRiSM is a free-to-use, open-source tool that utilises manufacturer data and London Plan policies to help homebuilders assess the viability of modern methods of construction (MMC) for schemes in London. PRiSM was re-launched last year and has been received positively by the sector.
My new Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026, which launched in November 2020, places new expectations on GLA investment partners to increase reporting and to maximise use of MMC in new developments. Allocations for this programme are expected to be announced in June 2021.
In my second term, I will continue to champion MMC and have asked officers to explore City Hall backing for a new MMC factory or logistics hub in London.

Rough Sleepers Leaving Hospital (2)

Sem Moema: The Healthy London Partnership produced a Vision for London on 27 September 2019 and one of the ambitions was “that no rough sleepers die on the street, no one is discharged from a hospital to the street and there is equal and fair access to healthcare for those who are homeless”. Can you update me on the progress made to develop a commissioning plan to establish integrated care pathways for rough sleepers?

The Mayor: The main focus has necessarily been on responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. This involved rapidly forging governance structures and relationships to underpin delivery of an integrated health, care and housing response at pan-London, Integrated Care System/sub-regional and local borough levels. It included establishing additional step-down and step-up capacity for homeless people, such as 10 beds with 24/7 nursing care, a COVID-care facility in a GLA-procured hotel providing nursing-led support for COVID positive cases, and GLA-procured hotel beds being earmarked for people for whom accommodation was not immediately available at the point of discharge from hospital. We have worked closely with NHS partners to ensure access to healthcare for those in emergency accommodation.
Please see my response to Mayor's Question 2021/1865 for further information on work on rough sleepers leaving hospital.

Rough Sleepers Leaving Hospital (3)

Sem Moema: On 23 February 2021 the London Health Board meeting heard that a “Lack of step-down capacity for homeless at discharge from hospital, particularly an issue for those who are not verified rough sleepers and have no clear local connection”. Can you provide some more information on the three action points, namely;
10 pan-London step-down beds for high complex needs at discharge from hospital fully utilized. Beds are funded and contracted to the end of March 2021.


£1.5m national funding for Out of Hospital available for step down with Borough/ICS bids made against it.


Ring fenced GLA hotel beds for hospital discharge.

The Mayor: In 2020/21 London received £1.2m funding from the national Shared Outcomes Fund Out of hospital fund. This has been used to ensure safe and timely transfers of care from hospital to the community and to prevent discharge to the street. It has supported the provision of accommodation, health and social care support, housing advice in hospital discharge teams and resettlement support.
Between January and March 2021, boroughs and Integrated Care Systems developed a set of commissioning proposals for building more capacity in the system for step-down and bid for further Out of hospital funding. The commissioning proposals submitted for 2021/22 include continued provision of pan-London step-down beds for those with high complex needs at discharge from hospital. Subject to confirmation of this funding, Integrated Care Systems in London intend to pilot continued provision, alongside an evaluation of the service and a clinical audit to establish a preferred commissioning model beyond March 2022. Sustainable funding solutions will also be explored.
During the first wave of the pandemic response, a number of GLA-procured hotel beds were ring-fenced to support rapid discharge from hospital. This enabled around 60 people to exit rough sleeping

Supporting North East Leaseholders (1)

Sem Moema: What support can you directly offer to my North East constituents who are caught up in and victims of the building and fire safety scandal?

The Mayor: The safety of leaseholders in buildings with unsafe cladding remains one of my top priorities. My team are working to support the urgent delivery of the Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund in London on behalf of Government.
I continue to do all within my powers to support leaseholders and encourage building owners and Government to speed up and widen the scope of remediation works. In September 2020, I wrote to all building owners in London with unsafe ACM cladding to urge them to speed up remediation and I continue to lobby Government for a long-term funding solution to make all buildings safe, regardless of height. In addition, I have been vocal in my support for the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign and introduced higher fire safety standards through my London Plan, Affordable Homes Programme and on GLA land.
However, this issue can only be solved with further action by Government and I do not have enforcement powers over building owners. I will continue working collaboratively with Government to support leaseholders and with London Boroughs through my London Plan.

Advisory Boards

Susan Hall: Will you be making any changes to any of your advisory boards in this mayoral term? Please state which boards, how and why.

The Mayor: Any changes to advisory boards are still under consideration for my new Mayoral term.

Council homes (2)

Tony Devenish: Further to MQ 2021/0685, can you please confirm how the 10,000 council homes programme is being monitored, what data is being recorded, and whether this includes the number of homes started and completed?

The Mayor: The target to build 10,000 homes from council providers is monitored through the GLA’s Open Project System (GLA Ops) which holds data related to projects collected across various programmes. Details of the information collected is set out in the respective funding guides for different programmes and these are available on the GLA website.
Monitoring includes details of the number of homes started and completed.

London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan (2)

Sem Moema: The July 2020 London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan recommended “Government should provide additional funding to ensure the compulsory purchase process is adequately resourced and ensure a more rapid processing of CPOs”. Do you know the Government’s view of this recommendation?

The Mayor: The Government has not responded directly to this recommendation. I have made the case for adequately resourcing the compulsory purchase process for some time, including in my London Housing Strategy, but the Government has not acted on this recommendation.

Affordable housing completions

Tony Devenish: Of the GLA-funded affordable homes started between 2017/18 and 2020/21, how many have been completed to date? Please provide a breakdown by borough and number of bedrooms.

The Mayor: The table below shows homes from projects started between 2017-18 and 2020-21 that have now completed. Information related to the number of bedrooms is not mandatory in GLA systems and therefore the bedroom breakdown only reflects the position where this information is available.
Total
18,324
5,342
7,302
3,387
495
67
Location
Affordable Starts that have completed
Completed homes
Projects started and completed from
			Apr-2017 to Mar-2021
Studio/1 bed
2 bed
3 bed
4 bed
5+ beds
Barking and Dagenham
570
95
267
167
0
0
Barnet
631
240
265
87
16
0
Bexley
387
54
161
139
8
0
Brent
1035
341
487
171
21
0
Bromley
379
160
163
43
3
0
Camden
317
101
79
87
21
0
City of London
16
10
0
0
0
0
Croydon
910
263
281
194
15
0
Ealing
1191
344
493
195
34
0
Enfield
506
141
194
98
12
0
Greenwich
755
239
271
148
13
0
Hackney
580
153
228
90
5
0
Hammersmith and Fulham
319
100
138
43
4
0
Haringey
206
53
65
39
0
0
Harrow
127
31
63
22
3
0
Havering
85
1
39
38
1
0
Hillingdon
287
69
110
76
4
1
Hounslow
447
139
208
51
6
0
Islington
621
169
250
93
44
31
Kensington and Chelsea
217
76
60
11
7
0
Kingston upon Thames
128
53
26
16
5
0
Lambeth
748
336
224
74
9
0
Lewisham
497
162
159
92
26
4
Merton
228
60
118
29
6
4
Newham
1493
317
802
306
12
6
Not Specified
4
0
0
0
0
0
Redbridge
144
34
71
31
0
0
Richmond upon Thames
52
12
28
2
0
0
Southwark
1358
418
598
213
34
1
Sutton
269
65
112
55
12
0
Tower Hamlets
2147
725
666
547
122
20
Waltham Forest
539
102
218
86
13
0
Wandsworth
697
195
348
93
32
0
Westminster
434
84
110
51
7
0

Environmental record of Thames Water

Caroline Pidgeon: The 2019 Environmental Agency report on the environmental performance of water and sewerage companies in England highlighted that performance had deteriorated for the second year in a row, with half of serious incidents of pollution being due to Anglian Water and Thames Water. What steps have you taken to raise concerns of pollution incidents in the London area with Thames Water and with Government Ministers?

The Mayor: While I have no direct responsibility for water and sewage infrastructure in London, I continue to lobby hard to improve both the service quality and infrastructure in London.
My Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy meets regularly with Thames Water’s CEO to raise issues around performance including pollution incidents. My officers have worked with Thames Water on a set of new London specific indicators which will allow us to better track their performance, including progress on reducing pollution incidents. The Thames Tideway tunnel, will hugely reduce pollution in the river Thames when construction completes in 2025. My London Sustainable Drainage Action Plan and the Green New Deal are supporting greening and sustainable drainage interventions that reduce pressure on the drainage network.
In my responses to Government consultations I continue to emphasise the importance of Drainage and Wastewater Management plans as a key tool that should be supported by Government.

LLDC Affordable Housing Planning Permissions Granted

Len Duvall: What percentage of homes granted planning permission by the London Legacy Development Corporation have been affordable over each of the past years since 2012 (please break this down by year).

The Mayor: Monitoring information for homes granted planning permission by the London Legacy Development Corporation across its wider planning area is only available from 2014.
Affordable Housing permitted since 2014
2014*
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020**
Social/Affordable Rented
84
150
112
50
76
96
253
Intermediate
128
127
79
58
178
422
235
Total
212
277
191
108
254
518
488
Total homes permitted
2286
905
1380
522
1120
1179
1448
9%
31%
14%
21%
23%
29%
34%
* N.B. In 2014, a scheme was also granted for 455 student bedrooms which also provided £2 million in off-site contributions for affordable housing.
** N.B. Includes Resolution to grant planning permissions subject to signing the S106 Agreement.

LLDC Transition Plans

Len Duvall: Please can you provide an update on the London Legacy Development Corporation’s transition plans following the March and May Board meetings.

The Mayor: The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) continues to work in close collaboration with the local Boroughs and City Hall as plans for transition progress.
On 16 March 2021 the LLDC Board discussed the work being undertaken jointly by LLDC and Boroughs to ensure a smooth transfer of Town Planning powers from LLDC back to the Boroughs. This paper can be accessed at Item 12 here: https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngovlldc/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=272&MId=6258&Ver=4
On 18 May 2021 the LLDC Board discussed an update on the work being done to consider options for LLDC successor arrangements. This paper can be accessed at Item 11 here: https://www.london.gov.uk/moderngovlldc/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=272&MId=6259&Ver=4
The LLDC Board will discuss successor body structure options in greater detail during an Away Day in June.

Rent control (2)

Tony Devenish: What impact would your preferred form of rent control have on the housing market?

The Mayor: As I have set out in my response to MQ 2021/2183, it would be the role of my proposed London Private Rent Commission to develop and implement a system to reduce private rents in London. Any system must be implemented gradually over time and be informed by a robust evidence-gathering process. It should include incentives to maintain investment in new and existing rental housing supply, to identify and address wider impacts and to avoid unintended consequences.

London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan (3)

Sem Moema: The July 2020 London’s Housing Delivery Recovery Plan recommended “Government should provide all acquiring authorities more flexibility in compulsory purchase by reforming the CPO process, including by allowing for compensation for compulsory purchase at, or close to, existing use values, enabling uplifts in land values to be captured”. Do you know the Government’s view of this recommendation?

The Mayor: The Government has not responded directly to this recommendation. However, in 2018, the Housing, Communities and Local Government Select Committee made a similar recommendation that the Land Compensation Act 1961 should be reformed to remove ‘hope value’ from the compensation price, as part of their Land Value Capture inquiry. The Government’s response stated that the ‘no scheme principle’ codified through changes to the Neighbourhood Planning Act 2017 ensured fair compensation. It also recognised the complexity of compulsory purchase and committed to reviewing and updating guidance.

London and the BSF (1)

Anne Clarke: How many buildings in London have registered for funding through the Building Safety Fund?

The Mayor: The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) publishes registration statistics for the Building Safety Fund, which is available on its website: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remediation-of-non-acm-buildings#building-safety-fund-registration-statistics.
As at 31 March 2021, 1,628 registrations to the Building Safety Fund were for buildings in London.

Good Work Standard

Marina Ahmad: How will you continue to expand your Good Work Standard over your second term?

The Mayor: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted more than ever the importance of good work for all Londoners, characterised by fair pay and conditions, workplace well-being, diversity, skills and progression. I will continue to promote the Good Work Standard to employers across the city, and work closely with the Living Wage Foundation to support employers through both accreditation programmes. For employers already engaged in the GWS community, I will signpost them to resources, workshops and peer-support to enable them to respond to the evolution of working practices following the pandemic.
I am delighted that over 90 employers have become accredited to the Good Work Standard since it launched in 2019, covering 210,000 Londoners in sectors as diverse as retail, construction, transport, government, charities, football and social care.
In my second term I will also respond to the particular challenges experienced by creative freelancers, workers in the on-demand or gig economy and micro businesses.

Champion and Challenge

Tony Devenish: What work will you be undertaking over the next 3 years to exercise your powers to “Champion and Challenge” health and care services? Please be specific - detail appreciated.

The Mayor: The health and care workforce have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic and I will continue to champion the work they do to ensure they get the recognition they deserve. COVID-19 has widened health inequalities in London. I will continue to work closely with health and care partners to ensure a healthy and equitable recovery from COVID for Londoners, building on collaborative work we have done on issues such as vaccine hesitancy, to ensure equity considerations are taken into account in other areas, such as reducing waiting lists and developing digital models of healthcare.
I will build learning from the disproportionate impacts of COVID and the findings from the recent report I commissioned from the King’s Fund on the development of Integrated Care Systems in London into my Six Tests, which is the key framework I use in my work to both champion and challenge health and care services in London.

The Urgent Need for more Apprenticeships

Hina Bokhari: The unemployment rate for 16-24 year olds in London is rising faster than any other group and is likely to worsen further as Government support schemes such as the Job Retention Scheme come to an end. Unemployment in this age group currently stands at 17.6%, significantly higher than the UK average of 13.3%. Yet only 8% of London businesses employ an apprentice. How are you going to support and encourage London businesses to employ apprenticeships to support recovery from the pandemic and reduce the worrying rise in unemployment our young people are facing?

The Mayor: My London Progression Collaboration (LPC) pilot has shown it is possible to adapt the levy system to create more apprenticeship opportunities. The LPC has facilitated the transfer of over £5.3m of unspent apprenticeship levy from large employers to non levy-paying employers to create hundreds of new high-quality apprenticeships. The onus is now on the Government to build on this success and do more to incentivise employers to consider apprenticeships.
I will promote the creation of quality apprenticeships through my ‘Helping Londoners into Good Work’ recovery mission, including new academies to bring employers and learning providers together to support those most affected by the pandemic into quality apprenticeships in priority sectors with the creation of opportunities in the GLA Family and its supply chains.
I will also continue to advocate that employers sign up to my Good Work Standard to ensure employment opportunities created in the capital are high‑quality.
Furthermore I am working with LRB’s Anchor Institutions Recovery Group to increase the number of good quality opportunities for young Londoners and those disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

City Hall developer

Sem Moema: Can you provide details on what developer roles the GLA Group has taken on since May 2016, such as the joint venture with Bellway Homes in Barking Riverside?

The Mayor: The GLA Group has entered into the following development arrangements since May 2016:
GLA Land and Property (GLAP) has entered into a Cooperation Agreement at Thames West (Silvertown Homes Limited) in which GLAP is joint landowner and developer. GLAP has also entered into five development agreements where GLAP continues to act as landowner managing the developer and there are a further three development agreements under negotiation. The Joint Venture agreement pertaining to land Barking Riverside was completed prior to May 2016. Please note that Bellway sold their interest in Barking Riverside Ltd to L&Q in in the financial year 2015/16.
Transport for London (TfL) has entered into the following joint venture agreement for specific sites: Landmark Court (U+I); Kidbrooke (Triangle London Developments); Blackhorse Road car park (BLLQ LLP); South Kensington Station (Native Land) and Wembley Park (Barratt London). TfL is also in a Joint Venture with Grainger for the following sites: Southall Sidings, Montford Place, Arnos Grove, Cockfosters, Nine Elms and Limmo. TfL has entered into a further 18 agreements for sale/development agreements for sites.
London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) has entered into the following contractual relationships: East Bank (Mace with LLDC acting as developer); UCL East (LLDC acting as landowner and UCL the developer); Hackney Wick (Contract awarded but not entered with Notting Hill Genesis). In addition, LLDC is out to market for Joint Venture partner for the Stratford Waterfront/Bridgewater site.
The London Fire Commission, Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime and Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation have not taken on any developer roles since May 2016.

Good Growth Fund Business Cases

Neil Garratt: Please can you give details of how business cases are evaluated when choosing projects to award Good Growth funding to?

The Mayor: The projects are evaluated at the application stage through an assessment of the following:
The projects are assessed against the following criteria:

London Joining the Assembly of European Regions

Hina Bokhari: Do you support London joining the Assembly of European Regions (AER)? If yes, how are you working to advance this as the Mayor of our city?

The Mayor: Whilst Brexit is the last thing I, and millions of Londoners, wanted, I am fully committed to ensuring London remains a key partner of European cities and regions, to ensure we continue exchanging best practice on urban challenges and promote trade, investment and cultural links.
London is a member of the EUROCITIES network, which includes all the major cities in Europe and which seeks to influence the development of the EU urban agenda. GLA policy teams are also in touch with leading European cities through network of cities such as the C40 Climate Change Leadership Group and the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), and London continues to participate in regular meetings of EU Capital City Mayors.
There are no current plans to join other networks.

Keeping London’s European Connections

Hina Bokhari: Will you work with Boroughs across the capital to set up a twinning arrangement, where boroughs across the capital twin with at least one other European region to help retain and build on relations with other European regions?

The Mayor: Whilst Brexit is the last thing I, and millions of Londoners, wanted, I am fully committed to ensuring London remains a key partner of European cities and regions, to ensure we continue exchanging best practice on urban challenges and promote trade, investment and cultural links.
London is a member of the EUROCITIES network, which includes all the major cities in Europe and seeks to influence the development of the EU urban agenda. GLA policy teams are also in touch with leading European cities through network of cities such as the C40 Climate Change Leadership Group and the World Cities Culture Forum (WCCF), and London continues to participate in regular meetings of EU Capital City Mayors.
Where Boroughs establish twinning arrangements with European regions, my international relations team would be happy to consider how GLA engagement can support those on a case by case basis.

Infrastructure Investment in London

Hina Bokhari: You stated in your manifesto for re-election that you would be setting up a new financing facility to bring more investment for infrastructure in London. Can you outline the timescales for this financing facility and how it will work?

The Mayor: My 1.5°C plan estimated that £61 billion would need to be invested in infrastructure to get to net zero. My Energy Efficiency Fund (MEEF), part funded through the European Regional Development Fund, already exists to channel private capital into London to support carbon reduction projects.
I have commissioned the Green Finance Institute to engage with the finance and public sectors to better understand how to build a pipeline of bankable climate related projects and encourage the private sector to co-invest in them.
Over the coming months I will be exploring a range of options for delivering a new Financing Facility that will respond to the needs of both the private sector and stakeholders seeking funding. Timelines will be reviewed as part of that work.

Support for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Hina Bokhari: In your manifesto you said that you would “’develop London’s offer to SMEs and the self-employed, creating the most advanced and integrated business support offer that London has seen, with a range of programmes helping start-ups and scale-ups across the key sectors of our economy.” Please outline the detail of the programmes referred to and which sectors of London’s economy they will target.

The Mayor: Business support provision in London isavastlandscape,withproviders in both thepublic and private sectors.Thereiscurrently a lack ofcoordination of activity across London, sometimes resulting induplication of effort, and leaving businesses in need of support with a confusing array of offers to explore and choose from.Duringthe next12months I willundertake a review of business support in London. The reviewwillidentifyways in which the GLA can help strengthen business support across the GLA Group and the wider business support eco-system in London.
I will workwithLondonboroughs,business support providersand otherstakeholders to provide a more coherent and coordinated business support offer, with the objectiveofestablishingasingle‘front door’ for business supportsothatbusiness owners and aspiring entrepreneurs can easily access the right advice and support.
Iwill also work to improve provision for diverse needs and typesof businesses— including specialised offers forBlack, Asian,minority ethnic,women and disabled business owners, as well associal enterprises and communityor employer-owned business models.

Reviewing how the Ballot Process Works for Major Estate Regenerations

Hina Bokhari: Can you outline how you will be reviewing the estate regeneration ballot process to ensure ways are not being deliberately found to avoid the need for a ballot of residents?

The Mayor: I am confident that my resident ballot requirement is robust. It applies to estate regeneration plans that involve the demolition of affordable housing and will deliver 150 or more homes. There are situations in which GLA investment partners may seek an exemption, but this is closely monitored. Where they do so, officers scrutinise these requests to ensure an exemption is appropriate. They are equally rigorous in ensuring that ballots through which residents register support for regeneration plans meet the criteria set out in my Capital Funding Guide. The data I publish on ballots, exemptions and funding allocations also enables estate residents and others to keep a close watch on how the requirement is being implemented.
To ensure the process is working as intended my officers will review the existing policy and if appropriate publish guidance to ensure greater clarity and consistent application. I am also committed to hearing feedback from estate residents, councils and housing associations pursuing estate regeneration projects.

Commonhold Pilot Scheme

Hina Bokhari: I believe a commonhold model of home ownership could prevent many of the issues currently being faced by leaseholders in London and it is one that has been adopted across many European countries in recent years. You have committed to piloting a commonhold scheme in London, please can you provide details on this including when this pilot will begin?

The Mayor: My manifesto renews my support for commonhold ownership. I amkeen to explorehow the GLA can use its powers and resources to support uptake of commonhold in London, and I want to explore how a GLA-led pilot could help achieve this. My team is currently engaging with stakeholders, including MHCLG and those represented in the Government’s recently established Commonhold Council, to better understand what is needed for any pilot to be successful.
The Law Commission’s recent work on leasehold reform highlighted that for commonhold to succeed changes are needed in legislation. For example, residential leases of longer than seven years are not permitted within current commonhold law. This restricts my ability to fund shared ownership tenures within the current commonhold system and would undermine my efforts to meet affordable home ownership targets.
I remain committed to working with Government and the housing sector to support uptake of a commonhold model and will continue to work with stakeholders to inform the scope of a pilot in London. The timelines for the pilot will be defined with consideration to the emerging legislative timetable from central government.

Support for London’s Childcare Sector

Hina Bokhari: In your manifesto you made a commitment on childcare to “provide business support to the sector.” Given the crisis facing the childcare sector and the particular impact this is having on many of London’s working families and women in the economy, please outline what the promised business support for the sector will involve, including timescales for delivery.

The Mayor: In March, I opened applications for an organisation to develop and deliver a London Early Years Business Support Programme. This programme will run until March 2022 and will build on the recommendations of research which I commissioned last year into the specific business support needs of London’s early years sector. The programme will establish a sector-specific business support page, hosted on the London Business Hub, which will act as the main access point for business support information, advice and guidance for early years providers in the capital. The programme will also pilot a personal business support triage service for the sector and offer intensive business support (during this financial year) to those providers which are most at risk, focussing on their sustainability and growth. I’m pleased to say that a successful applicant has been appointed to deliver this work and that the programme will be launched later this month.

Measuring London’s economy

Marina Ahmad: In your first term, you created the Economic Fairness measures in the London Datastore to include measures to help reduce inequality, the first Mayor to do so. Why is it important to measure both economic growth and measures on economic fairness?

The Mayor: Economic growth is just one aspect of the city’s prosperity. The pandemic has highlighted many of the inequalities in our economy and society.For London’s economy to truly succeed, all Londoners must be able to benefit from growth, so that opportunity and prosperity are shared. This means tackling discrimination and disadvantage, challenging low pay and other unfair working practices, and reducing inequality.
That will require us to acknowledge structural and systemic unfairness and inequality – from employment gaps, pay gaps, and lack of access to opportunities that certain groups experience, through to London’s high cost of living.
To aid in our understanding of economic fairness and our ability to effect change, I will establish a new measure of wellbeing in London as a core measure of the city’s success. This will help the GLA and London's boroughs to develop policy more effectively and target support at the communities in our city that need it the most.

Supporting City and East Leaseholders (1)

Unmesh Desai: What support can you directly offer to my constituents who are caught up in and victims of the building safety scandal?

The Mayor: I have always supported leaseholders and residents affected by the building safety scandal and will continue to do so. Recent fires, such as the one at New Providence Wharf have emphasised yet again the pressing need to remediate buildings made with dangerous materials.
I wrote to all building owners with unsafe ACM cladding in September 2020 to urge them to speed up remediation, and I wrote specifically to Ballymore last week about New Providence Wharf.
My Deputy Mayor for Housing meets with cladding campaigners regularly and I personally joined a rally outside Parliament in early 2020. Prior to the pandemic, space was also provided at City Hall for quarterly meetings of cladding campaigners in London.
The Government needs to urgently resolve this crisis so leaseholders can get on with their lives without facing crippling costs to correct safety defects they played no part in causing.

Supporting City and East Leaseholders (2)

Unmesh Desai: What are your priorities when supporting my constituents who are leaseholders caught up in the building safety scandal?

The Mayor: The safety of leaseholders in buildings with unsafe cladding remains one of my top priorities. My team are working to support the urgent delivery of the Social Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund, Building Safety Fund and the Waking Watch Relief Fund in London on behalf of Government.
I continue to do all within my powers to support leaseholders and encourage building owners and Government to speed up and widen the scope of remediation works. In September 2020, I wrote to all building owners in London with unsafe ACM cladding to urge them to speed up remediation and I continue to lobby Government for a long-term funding solution to make all buildings safe, regardless of height. In addition, I have been vocal in my support for the End Our Cladding Scandal campaign and introduced higher fire safety standards through my London Plan, Affordable Homes Programme and on GLA land.
However, this issue can only be solved with further action by Government and I do not have enforcement powers over building owners. I will continue working collaboratively with Government to support leaseholders and with London Boroughs through my London Plan.

Building safety in the City and East constituency

Unmesh Desai: The City and East constituency has 18% of all the registrations to the Building Safety Fund across England and 24% of the Waking Watches in place in London, as of March 2021. How are you working with Barking and Dagenham, Newham and Tower Hamlets councils and the City of London to keep my constituents safe?

The Mayor: My team has benefitted from working with local authorities across London. In July last year, my Deputy Mayor for Housing and Residential Development wrote again to Local Authorities to stress the importance of London boroughs and the GLA working together to deliver the Private Sector ACM Cladding Remediation Fund and the Building Safety Fund. He also attends regular meetings, convened by the Minister for Building Safety, to discuss with the boroughs any buildings with unsafe ACM that are yet to be remediated.
Maintaining this collaborative approach across all tiers of government will be pivotal to ensuring remediation works progress swiftly. I was however disappointed with the decision last year to exclude social landlords, including councils, from fully accessing the Building Safety Fund unless their financial viability is threatened. My Deputy Mayor wrote a letter to the Government about this.

London Health Board

Tony Devenish: What work will you be undertaking over the next 3 years to fulfil your obligations as Chair of the London Health Board and what targets will you be setting? Please be specific - detail appreciated.

The Mayor: I am pleased to continue as Chair of the London Health Board. This partnership Board provides political oversight and strategic direction to drive improvements in London’s health and care and in work to reduce health inequalities. Specifically, the Board will oversee the London Health Inequalities Strategy and the London Health and Care Vision both of which are being refreshed in the light of the impacts and learning from the COVID pandemic and the developing plans for London’s recovery.
The Board will continue to meet four times a year with one of these meetings taking the form of a stakeholder conference.

Londoners suffering with long COVID (3)

Caroline Russell: Recent research from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals that health and social care workers experienced the highest rates of long COVID. Could you outline how London-wide initiatives can continue to support the workforce as we move through the pandemic, and what more the Healthy London Partnership could do?

The Mayor: Through my role as Chair of the London Health Board, I am working with my colleagues in the health and care sector to understand more about the effects of this new and debilitating condition on our staff who have worked with such commitment throughout the pandemic.
We are still in the early days of understanding the full impact of long COVID but already, colleagues in the NHS are providing support for Londoners, including members of our health and care workforce. Across London, there are now 17 NHS specialist ‘long COVID’ assessment services. The services include physical, mental and cognitive health assessment.
Supporting the health and wellbeing of staff is one of the top priorities in the NHS Planning guidance for 2021/21. This is particularly focused on the direct and indirect consequences of COVID-19. I will be working with our London Health Partnership in the coming months to further develop our offer across London to address the specific occupational health needs of our health and care workforce.

Let's Do London Accessibility (1)

Susan Hall: Before changing the signage at Piccadilly Circus as part of the “Let’s Do London” campaign, did you assess the impact this would have on disabled Londoners and the accessibility of the station and if so, how?

The Mayor: The signage and roundels at Piccadilly Circus were not changed. David Hockney’s playful artwork appeared on the digital advertising screens only and for a limited time.
I have pledged to be a Mayor for all Londoners and to make the city accessible for all. I am committed to this goal and my Let’s Do London campaign will adhere to these principles.

Business Advisory Board (2)

Susan Hall: What actions have you already taken based on the Business Advisory Board’s input to you?

The Mayor: I have taken on board my Business Advisory Board’s (BAB) input to key City Hall strategies and policies such as the Economic Development Strategy; Skills for Londoners; Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and the Good Work Standard.
BAB members have also provided useful advice and feedback on many areas of policy and programme development. For example, I have accepted BAB members’ advice on and offers to contribute to my #BehindEveryGreatCity and #LondonisOpen campaigns.
I have also participated in events and meetings organised or hosted by members of the Business Advisory Board.

Full Fibre Broadband in New Developments

Sakina Sheikh: How will you ensure that all new developments have access to full fibre broadband?

The Mayor: My London Plan is clear that the Development Plans of the London boroughs should support the delivery of full-fibre or equivalent digital infrastructure, with particular focus on areas with gaps in connectivity, and that individual development proposals should ensure that sufficient ducting space for full fibre connectivity infrastructure, or an appropriate alternative, is provided to all end users.
My Connected London team is supporting the Digital Access for All Mission and seeking to improve full fibre coverage. They monitor broadband coverage across London and facilitate investment into fibre infrastructure in underserved areas of London, working with the boroughs, the infrastructure providers, Transport for London, developers and government. Work on guidance is also underway to increase awareness and capability amongst boroughs and developers to support the effective provision of digital connectivity.

Key Worker Housing (1)

Sem Moema: Can you provide an update on your work with trade unions, emergency services and local authorities to create a list of essential London workers? Please provide details on when you expect the list to be published.

The Mayor: I am keen to recognise the service and sacrifice made by key workers during the Coronavirus pandemic and want to support them to access new affordable homes built across London. In response to feedback received from my recent public consultation on Intermediate Housing, I have committed to define a ‘core’ list of key workers which local authorities will be expected to adopt and can add to at a local level.
Having concluded the consultation, I will continue to engage and consult with stakeholders, including trade unions, emergency services, local authorities and others when developing the ‘core’ list. My officers will shortly start work to finalise the definition of key workers and I expect to publish the core list by autumn 2021.

Let's Do London Stations

Susan Hall: Please detail which stations on the TfL network will have art installations or signs changed as part of the “Let’s Do London” campaign?

The Mayor: There are currently no plans to change signs or have art installations at stations as part of the Let’s Do London, my campaign to support the reopening of central London and kick-start the economy.
The campaign will include advertising supported by London& Partners and TfL and new content on the Visit London website outlining the cultural and hospitality offer to Londoners and visitors to the capital.

International Centre for Creative Industries

Neil Garratt: In your manifesto you backed an international centre for creative industries in London. How much will this cost and what do you hope it will achieve?

The Mayor: London’s culture and creative industries contributed £58bn and 1 in 6 jobs in 2018. The creative economy was the fastest growing part of the economy pre-Covid and will play a key role in the capital’s economic recovery. London business events are worth £12.5bn to the economy with growing demand for major events. London’s creative economy trade events collectively attract around 350,000 visitors and generate approximately £500m business each year. I support exploring a new International Centre for the Creative Industries to promote the capital’s international competitiveness and meet demand for dedicated space to support London as global leader. A feasibility study will be required to assess the costs for a new centre.

BT

Tony Devenish: How are you working with BT as significant employer in London to support London’s recovery and boost jobs, jobs, jobs?

The Mayor: Through the London Recovery Programme, I will continue working with employers across London’s key sectors, including BT, to help protect existing jobs, support businesses to create new ones and help Londoners who have lost their jobs during the pandemic to get back to work.
BT is currently working with the London Progression Collaboration (LPC) to support the creation of good quality apprenticeships in London as well as supporting the LPC’s Reskilling the Recovery campaign which is helping SMEs recover from the impacts of COVID-19.
BT is also a member of my Digital Exclusion Taskforce, which is serving as an advisory body for the Digital Access for All mission, supporting London’s recovery through the creation of new jobs and investment across the capital.

Community involvement in planning decisions

Sakina Sheikh: How will you ensure that local communities are properly involved in planning decisions that affect them?

The Mayor: I’m committed to fully implementing Policy GG1 in my new London Plan, which is about early and inclusive engagement in planning.
Numerous specific policies in my Plan highlight and require this engagement to ensure that the needs of different groups are met. Inclusive design statements accompanying proposals will record engagement with different groups and show how potential impacts on protected groups have been taken into account. Engagement is also supported by greater access to live data through the Planning Datahub that went live earlier this year.
An example is engagement for the Royal Docks Opportunity Area Planning Framework, alongside the LB Newham, showcasing meaningful engagement at a local level reflecting the demography of that community.
But we’ll continue to explore and develop further approaches to improve the quality and diversity of our engagement, to ensure the evolution of London is shaped by many voices.